84-Year-Old Leap Baby Finally Turns 21 And Gets Her First Legal Drink

If you only have a birthday every four years, how long does it take before you’re finally legal to drink?  Aviation Gin solves the riddle in this wry, funny, utterly charming ad released on Leap Day. 

Arlene Manko is a real person living in Pittsburgh, who was born on February 29, 1936. Today, she got the very first legal drink of her life.  “I was technically five years old when I got married,” she says. This Leap Day, Arlene turns 21 — legal drinking age. 

"30,629 days I’ve waited to turn 21,” she says. “I had seven kids in ten years —you think sometimes I didn’t want to drink?”

She claims to follow the rules because that’s what she was taught. “But I’m not an angel,” she adds with a mischievous grin, followed by scenes where she ‘tries’ to purchase alcohol dressed in various disguises. 

Aviation Gin owner Ryan Reynolds is behind this delightful ad, which is produced by his production agency Maximum Effort with ad agency 160over90. Here he is in another of his trademark quirky, fun ads:

After 84 years, Arlene’s first legal drink is a tall glass of Aviation Gin with soda water and an orange. “Holy Moses!” she exclaims, eyes closed, and then she looks at the camera. “I don’t even know who Ryan Reynolds is,” she says. Haha, the voice over tells us. “Ignore her. She’s been drinking.”