- MUG Root Beer and George Kittle have teamed up to launch MUG Brotein, a DIY "dirty protein" hack that mixes MUG Zero Sugar with a vanilla protein shake, targeting gym-goers who refuse to ditch their root beer.
- A limited-run MUG Brotein bundle, including MUG Zero Sugar, a vanilla protein shake, a shaker bottle, gym bag, and MUG tank, dropped exclusively on Walmart.com on April 22, with a second drop via TikTok Shop on April 28.
- This marks MUG Root Beer's first major celebrity ambassador campaign, a bold shift for a PepsiCo brand that historically let its bulldog mascot "Dog" do all the talking.
- Kittle, who signed a four-year, $76.4 million extension with the 49ers in 2025 to become the highest-paid tight end in NFL history, brings his signature big-personality brand energy to MUG's "gym dawg" audience.
George Kittle, tight end for the San Francisco 49ers, is the face of MUG Root Beer’s new “Brotein” campaign, and it’s exactly as unhinged as you’d expect from the NFL’s most entertaining personality.
The campaign, announced April 21, introduces MUG Brotein: a DIY drink hack that combines MUG Zero Sugar with a vanilla protein shake. No blender. No overthinking. Just root beer in your protein routine.
A limited bundle featuring the drink duo plus gym gear (shaker bottle, tank, and gym bag) dropped exclusively on Walmart.com on April 22, with a TikTok Shop drop set for April 28.
Just as Carnell Tate recently made waves by partnering with Snickers Ice Cream for his 2026 NFL Draft campaign, Kittle’s deal shows NFL stars continue to be prime real estate for food and beverage brands looking to tap into authentic, personality-driven marketing.
Jason Kelce’s recent work with Garage Beers reflects the same trend, NFL athletes and beverage brands are a natural fit when the personality matches the product.
Kittle recently extended his deal with the 49ers for four years at $76.4 million, cementing his status as the league’s all-time highest-paid tight end. Off the field, he holds endorsement deals with Nike, Bud Light, Gatorade, and Xbox, and has commercial partnerships with Zenni eyewear.
This is his first known deal with MUG Root Beer. MUG, a PepsiCo brand, is the fastest-growing brand in the root beer category, fueled by a TikTok-heavy strategy built around its bulldog mascot.
Takeaways
This campaign is a smart culture play. MUG Root Beer isn’t just selling a drink, it’s poking fun at the hyper-serious “proteinmaxx” gym culture by saying: you can have your gains AND your root beer float.
Kittle is the perfect ambassador for this; he’s jacked, self-aware, and genuinely funny. The fact that MUG historically never used celebrity spokespeople makes this a notable shift in brand strategy, clearly designed to chase a younger, fitness-adjacent consumer who lives on TikTok.
For PepsiCo, this feels like a test case: if MUG can build cultural clout through personality-driven, platform-native deals like this one, expect more celebrity plays to follow.
Is MUG Brotein a genuine lifestyle product, or a one-time viral stunt? With Kittle already repping Bud Light and now MUG Root Beer, is he becoming the go-to athlete for beverage brands that want “fun guy” energy? Now that MUG has broken its no-celebrity streak, which NFL star would you cast in their next campaign?
