Karl Stefanovic’s frothy relationship with XXXX as brewer DENIES he’s paid to promote the drop

Karl Stefanovic is rarely seen far from a can of his beloved XXXX Gold when he’s away from the Today set.

But the TV star’s regular plugging of the iconic Queensland drop over the years is behind speculation there could be more to his love of XXXX than meets the eye.

On Australia Day, a beaming Karl in a Crocodile Dundee hat and a banana print shirt proudly posted a picture of the family enjoying a day on the water with a XXXX in hand.   

And earlier in the week, Karl was spotted with a conspicuous pair of XXXX beer magnets on his Toyota Prado. 

Karl’s plugs for XXXX are nothing his 367,000 followers across his Instagram and Facebook accounts haven’t seen before.

But brewing giant Castlemaine XXXX on Friday was quick to hose down rumours the company had any formal relationship with Karl.

Karl ensures his beloved XXXX Gold always travels with him on the back of his 4WD

A spokesperson for Castlemaine XXXX- which is controlled by the Chinese-owned parent company Lion – told Daily Mail Australia that the Nine star is merely a ‘proud Queenslander’ who plugs the beer to his massive social media following for free.

But it is not surprising the public would jump to conclusions. 

An insider within the lucrative beer market in Queensland claims the major brewers regularly offer cash deals and free booze to celebrities and influencers in exchange for ‘positive endorsement’.

Rugby league legend Gordan Tallis is one of XXXX’s more highest profile ambassadors along with retired AFL great Michael Voss.

Wally Lewis, too, is rumoured to be an ambassador for the beer.

However a XXXX spokesperson denied Stefanovic is on their books despite his regular endorsements, saying he is just a fan.

‘XXXX and Karl have no formal ambassador relationship,’ the spokesperson said.

‘He is a proud Queenslander and genuine fan of the brand’.

The happy couple went public back in 2016 and later posed up with their favourite beer

Stefanovic’s bosses at Nine, meanwhile, declined to weigh in on the matter saying only: ‘We won’t be commenting on this one or going on the record.’

Asked if an alcohol ambassadorial role is something that an on-air presenter would be required to disclose to the network, the Nine spokesman also declined to comment. 

Karl, with wife Jasmine Yarbrough and 18-month old daughter Harper, happily held aloft a can of XXXX Gold during his Australia Day celebrations in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire on Wednesday – just days after he was spotted unloading groceries with two large XXXX Gold stickers proudly displayed on his 4WD’s rear bumper.

And in one of their first posts as a couple back in 2017, Karl and Jasmine posed on a Noosa beach – XXXX Gold bottles in hand – in a snap which an alcohol branding insider suggests could have garnered the TV presenter ‘tens of thousands’.

‘These kinds of influencer deals are extremely commonplace and someone with Karl’s profile and following could easily earn anything from $10,000 to $50,000 per post,’ the insider told The Daily Mail.

‘A company like Lion relies heavily on celebrity brand endorsement.

‘Advertising and branding budgets for a company of its size and scale are astronomical.’ 

Proud Queenslander Karl was born in Sydney but makes no secret of where his loyalties lie

Along with XXXX, China-owned Lion is also the parent company of a slew of well-known Aussie beer brands including Tooheys, Furphy, James Squire, Hahn, Little Creatures, Iron Jack and Byron Bay Brewery.

A former marketing and licensing executive for one of Australia’s biggest brewers outlined the demands of ‘ambassadors’ saying contracts varied depending on a celebrities social media presence.

But often ambassadors are selected purely as they’re seen as a ‘good fit’.

‘We would look for someone who fits in with the culture of the brand and what kind of potential they have in terms of appeal,’ said the insider.

‘Someone like Karl would one-hundred percent be a great fit for a brand like XXXX.

‘He obviously wears and flies his Queensland flag pretty high.’