The reality star and businesswoman turned her bar exam setback into the centerpiece of a launch campaign for UPDATE, a caffeine free energy drink.
Kim Kardashian introduced her energy drink brand UPDATE to the wider public on Thursday with a video that spread quickly, and the pull was not really the product itself. It was the delivery. The clip opens on a mock press conference where reporters press Kardashian about her workload and her appearance, and she answers with the kind of deadpan self awareness that has become her signature. The tone stays light throughout, poking fun at years of tabloid fixation rather than shying away from it.
From glass box to bar joke
The spot shifts to a gallery setting, where Kardashian sits inside a glass display case beside a stack of papers and a can of UPDATE. Attorney Gloria Allred appears outside the case and asks whether Kardashian ever passed the bar exam. Kardashian’s response, that she did not pass the bar but raised it instead, has become the campaign’s signature line. The ad was directed by Daniel Sachon and produced by OBB Bolded, with Michael D Ratner, Scott Ratner and Leonor Castro serving as executive producers.
Turning a real setback into marketing
The joke lands because it is grounded in fact. Kardashian did not pass the California bar exam in July 2025, a result the State Bar of California tied to an overall pass rate of 54.8% among the roughly 7,362 people who sat for the test that cycle. She had already cleared the so called baby bar in 2021 after three earlier attempts. Rather than avoid the subject, the UPDATE campaign leans directly into it, following a pattern other brands have used recently, including Astronomer’s decision to bring on Gwyneth Paltrow after an executive scandal and Burger King’s self deprecating Oscars ad about slow service and squashed burgers.
What UPDATE actually offers
UPDATE distinguishes itself from typical energy drinks by skipping caffeine entirely. Its core ingredient is paraxanthine, a compound the body naturally produces once it metabolizes caffeine. Coffee triggers the liver to create three byproducts, paraxanthine, theobromine and theophylline, and the latter two are generally linked to the jittery, anxious feeling that comes with caffeine. Paraxanthine is considered responsible for the alertness and focus, so UPDATE delivers it directly rather than routing it through caffeine first. The formula also includes alpha GPC, a compound often found in cognitive support supplements, along with sucralose as a sweetener. The drink carries zero sugar and zero calories, with no artificial flavors or colors.
One internist told Healthline that dosing guidance for paraxanthine is still developing and recommended people check with a doctor before adding it to a routine, a caution worth noting even as the marketing leans heavily into the wellness angle.
THE FUTURE OF ENERGY pic.twitter.com/l4E2D6DAlt
— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) July 23, 2026
Retail reach and Kardashian’s role
Kardashian became a UPDATE co-founder in February, joining CEO Daniel Solomons, who built the brand around the idea that energy products should work with the body rather than push against it. She has taken the lead on the visual rebrand, shifting the packaging toward a cleaner, more minimalist look and shaping long term brand direction. UPDATE launched at more than 4,000 Walmart stores in March, with plans to expand to roughly 13,000 locations by the fourth quarter, alongside sales through the brand’s own website.
Part of a broader business run
The energy drink adds to a business portfolio that already spans shapewear, skincare, fragrance and private equity investing. Forbes estimates Kardashian’s net worth at close to 1.9 billion dollars, with Skims doing much of the heavy lifting. Whether UPDATE becomes a lasting part of that portfolio may depend less on the science than on how long the bar exam joke keeps working.
