Kim Kardashian debuts the commercial for UPDATE: caffeine-free drink with paraxanthin — is she the owner?

Kim Kardashian published this Thursday July 23, 2026 the first big commercial for UPDATE, the energy drink that relaunched in February with an unusual bet: paraxanthin instead of caffeine. The video, titled «THE FUTURE OF ENERGY», circulates on X and Instagram and mixes humor, self-parody and product placement in a fake press conference format.

The commercial: what the video shows

According to Rolling Out, OK Magazine and People (via AOL), the ad begins with Kim behind a press conference podium. He removes some sunglasses to reveal "study" ones, and answers questions about "all the work that's been done" — clarifying that he's not talking about surgery, but about hustle.

People are always asking about all the work I've gotten done. Not that type of work… They always ask, how do you do so much? Kim, how do you keep going? Kim, are they really real?

The scene jumps to a museum: Kim appears inside a glass display case, surrounded by papers, as if it were an art installation. Enter attorney Gloria Allred, who asks if he ever passed the bar exam. The response—already viral on social networks—closes the spot:

No, I didn't pass the bar. I raised it.

Kim failed the California bar exam in November 2025 and has said he will keep trying; The joke turns that narrative into an advertising hook. In another line of the ad, when asked for the secret, he answers: «Just an update… Update formulated by a team of leading experts, none of whom are me» (OK Magazine).

Does Kim Kardashian own UPDATE?

She is not the sole owner nor the original founder. UPDATE was co-founded in June 2022 by entrepreneur Daniel Solomons along with the Hess family, according to the a statement. href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260224695598/en/UPDATE-Relaunches-With-New-Co-Founder-Kim-Kardashian-Ushering-In-the-Next-Generation-of-Science-Based-Energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Business Wire. Kim joined as co-founder in 2026 in the national relaunch.

Food Dive and Fast Company explain the trajectory: Kim started ordering UPDATE on a recurring basis in 2023, sent feedback on flavor and packaging, and He ended up getting involved in positioning, design and creative direction. Solomons told Food Dive that “we didn't start from scratch; "We scaled what we had already built." The financial terms or percentage of equity have not been made public.

Your role today: brand-building, product design and consumer insight — not chemical formulation. In an interview with People he claimed to have participated in the script of the commercial, with "easter eggs", humor and winks.

Paraxanthin: the "different" drink according to UPDATE

The big difference compared to Red Bull, Monster, Celsius or coffee itself is that UPDATE does not contain caffeine. Instead, use paraxanthin: the metabolite that the liver produces when breaking down caffeine (approximately 70–80% of that metabolism, according to UPDATE's science page.

The brand argues that many effects people attribute to caffeine—alertness, focus, mental stamina—are linked to paraxanthin. By isolating it, they promise smoother, more sustained energy, with less jitters, less crash, and less interference with sleep if taken later in the day.

In the drinkupdate.com FAQ, UPDATE insists: «We are completely caffeine-free». The energy comes only from paraxanthin. They recommend the can for mornings, deep work, study or pre-workout, with a window of about four hours of effect.

Benefits that UPDATE promises (and nuances)

According to the brand and its communication on drinkupdate.com:

• Focused energy without aggressive spike or typical caffeine crash.
• No jitters (tremor) or overstimulation, according to testimonials on their website and verified reviews.
• Possible late use without ruining sleep — the brand positions it compared to energy drinks with caffeine.
• “Clean” profile: 0 sugar, 0 calories, no added caffeine.
• Five flavors in transparent cans: Berry, Grape, Peach, Mandarin and Pineapple.

Public health nuances: Women's Health warns that clinical research on isolated paraxanthin is limited to that of caffeine. Many experts treat 300 mg of paraxanthin as roughly equivalent to 300 mg of caffeine for the daily limit (FDA reference ~400 mg). If you drink coffee, tea or other stimulating drinks on the same day, the sum counts.

BevLab notes that the formula (paraxanthin + Alpha-GPC from TSI Group and NNB Nutrition) is solid "on paper"; commercial success will depend on distribution—Walmart, then ~13,000 stores—and whether the taste generates repurchases.

Context: from DTC to Walmart with Kim

UPDATE sold online first; On March 1, 2026 it landed in more than 4,000 Walmart in one of the retailer's largest beverage launches, according to Business Wire. Kim indirectly competes with brands such as Alani Nu—with which she previously collaborated with the “Kimade” edition—but is now betting on her own line.

The July 23 commercial closes the circle: from demanding client to co-founder in front of the camera. If paraxanthin delivers en masse what it promises in the marketing lab, UPDATE could push the “functional energy” category beyond the fitness niche. If not, it will still be another can with famous on the label—albeit with a different molecule inside.

Where to see the spot and buy: video on X (@KimKardashian) · store drinkupdate.com · Focus Lab event (July 26, LA).