Kim Kardashian plans to shake up energy drinks with UPDATE relaunch

Last week, newly revamped energy drink UPDATE released a video campaign that went viral within hours. Featuring Kim Kardashian—who was a consumer of the brand before joining as co-founder—the satirical press conference scenarios blurred tabloid gossip with brand storytelling and set the stage for a "Focus Lab" pop-up on Melrose Avenue on July 26. The brand joins a wave of companies attempting to redefine energy through functional ingredients, alongside newcomers emphasizing nootropics, adaptogens, and lower-caffeine formulations.

A Brand Rooted in Science, Aiming to Reshape the Energy Drinks Market

Valued at more than $20 billion in the U.S., the energy drinks market continues to experience strong growth while becoming increasingly saturated with new entrants promising alternatives to traditional high-caffeine, high-sugar options. Brands are increasingly offering sugar-free, low-calorie, functional beverages focused on natural ingredients and extracts such as adaptogens to satisfy consumers' demand for more balanced options. For example, water company Liquid Death introduced its first "better-for-you" energy drink last year, formulated with no sugar, only five calories, vitamins, and an "unextreme" 100mg of caffeine—compared to up to 200mg in many energy drinks on the market.

While nearly 70% of Americans still consume caffeine daily, many are also seeking its energy-boosting impact with greater balance. This inspired Daniel Solomons to create UPDATE in 2022, with Kim Kardashian joining more recently after discovering the brand and wanting to accelerate its mission of creating the future of energy. The starting point for UPDATE was to completely rethink how energy drinks are formulated.

"Science has always been at the heart of UPDATE. We didn't start with a flavor or a can design. We started by asking whether there was a better way to create energy." — Daniel Solomons

While many energy drink manufacturers use synthetic caffeine, UPDATE took a different approach to provide energy benefits without the negative impacts often associated with caffeine consumption. Its star ingredient, paraxanthine, is the clean compound present within caffeine that the body uses for focus, delivering smooth, steady energy without the energy spike or crash. It is also formulated with ingredients like Alpha-GPC, L-Theanine, and Vitamin B12 to support mental clarity and calm concentration.

"We're creating something that fits naturally into people's everyday lives and represents clarity, ambition, and a smarter approach to energy." — Daniel Solomons

UPDATE's Futuristic, Science-Based "Focus Lab" Pop-Up

To convey its core differentiator and brand positioning, the brand's pop-up took the shape of a "Focus Lab" in Los Angeles, allowing guests to experience firsthand what a different kind of focused energy feels like. Executed by branded content studio OBB BOLDED, in partnership with Blue Revolver, the pop-up aimed to educate visitors about the science behind paraxanthine while sampling UPDATE's next-generation energy drinks, all while being immersed in the aesthetic world featured in the video.

"While our digital spot started a conversation and stoked a new level of awareness for UPDATE, this pop-up is the opportunity to take action on that newfound awareness with the community." — Leonor Castro, Senior Director, Creative Development & Social Strategy, OBB Bolded

The idea was to mirror the energy of the video campaign, recreating elements of the video for visitors to interact with while also learning about the science behind the product to understand how UPDATE is different.

"The Focus Lab gives us a chance to have those conversations in a hands-on way while letting people experience the product for themselves." — Daniel Solomons