Starbucks is deepening its push into creator-led entertainment with a new partnership alongside MrBeast, ahead of the launch of season two of the competition series Beast Games: Strong vs. Smart. The collaboration, designed to reach the creator’s predominantly under-30 audience, combines on-screen integration with a limited-edition beverage inspired by the show.
Set to debut on Amazon Prime Video on January 7, the new season will feature a dedicated Starbucks hub inside “Beast City,” the living quarters for contestants. Participants will have complimentary, round-the-clock access to Starbucks food and beverages throughout the competition, reinforcing the brand’s presence at the heart of the show.
Extending the partnership beyond the screen, Starbucks will roll out a limited-time “Cannon Ball Drink” beginning January 14 across U.S. stores. The colorful refresher blends Strawberry Açaí and Mango Dragonfruit, topped with fruit, and was developed on set during the filming of season two. The drink will also appear in the “Cannon Ball Challenge,” a crossover episode with the long-running competition series Survivor, airing the same day.
“Beast Games,” which debuted in 2024, pits contestants against one another in high-stakes challenges for a $5 million prize. The upcoming season will feature 200 competitors—split evenly between those selected for strength and those chosen for intelligence—while Starbucks surprises and integrations are planned across multiple episodes.
The tie-up follows a December appearance by Starbucks in MrBeast’s YouTube challenge “30 Days in the Sky,” underscoring the brand’s strategy of embedding itself in high-engagement creator content. Marketing analysts see the move as a bid to build loyalty with younger consumers who increasingly discover brands through entertainment and social platforms.
The collaboration also aligns with Starbucks’ broader marketing reset under CEO Brian Niccol, marked by increased brand investment and experiential activations. Early signs suggest the strategy is gaining traction, as the company recently reported flat same-store sales in North America for fiscal Q4 2025, ending a prolonged period of decline.
