Dive Brief:
- Celsius on Monday launched a campaign that includes a 30-second spot, “The Surge,” promoting a limited-time Electric Vibe flavor, per details shared with Marketing Dive.
- The ad depicts the flavor drop transforming a game of foosball into a pro soccer match featuring a DJ set by Diplo. Produced by Quiet Half, the spot will be distributed across connected TV, audio, search, display, out-of-home and paid social.
- The campaign, which reimagines the brand’s “Live. Fit. Go.” slogan as “Live. Fit. Goal.,” sees Celsius uniting sports, music and culture ahead of this summer’s World Cup.
Dive Insight:
Celsius is doubling down on its focus on sports, specifically soccer, as fans around the globe prepare for the FIFA World Cup. The functional energy brand has had a relationship with Major League Soccer and clubs including Inter Miami since 2023. The hero spot, “The Surge,” features soccer pros Weston McKennie, Declan Rice and Hirving Lozano, but also nods to music and culture with appearances by Diplo and creator Marlon Garcia.
The brand last week hosted the Celsius Soccer Classic, a VIP tournament that also featured music, hospitality, activations and a charitable component. Along with Diplo and Garcia, talent included actor Lisa Rinna, reality TV star Nic Vans, fitness entrepreneur Kendall Toole and influencers David Dobrik, Rob Rausch, Dixie D’Amelio, Josh Richards and Haley Kalil.
“The event captured the energy and intensity of the ad spot, extending it from screen to real life while setting the tone for our broader push into the sport this summer,” Celsius Chief Brand Officer Kyle Watson said in a statement.
Along with the event and the spot, Celsius is scaling other partnerships and activations. The brand has been named the Official Energy Drink of Baller League USA, a creator-driven indoor soccer league, where it will be integrated across gameplay, experiences, social and livestream content. It will also leverage its MLS partnership with on-site activations.
While Celsius does not have an official World Cup sponsorship, it will have visibility and assets at nine U.S. matches, including in-game branding, fan activations, hospitality and sampling, plus a partnership with French player Eduardo Camavinga. Other brands, including Modelo, are making the most of the World Cup without official partnerships in place.
Celsius Holdings, the parent company of Celsius, Alani Nu and Rockstar Energy, delivered full-year 2025 revenue of $2.5 billion, reaching approximately 20% dollar share of the U.S. energy drink category in Q4. The company last month announced the launch of a full-service in-house agency that will help supercharge marketing like the Celsius “Live. Fit. Go.” efforts.
