Ben Stiller’s Soda Campaign Uses Deadpan Humor to Skewer Celebrity Branding

Ben Stiller has entered the beverage aisle, but not quietly.

His new brand, Stiller’s Soda, launches with a campaign that pokes fun at celebrity-led marketing while making himself the punchline.

The launch spot, co-created with longtime friend and actor Justin Theroux, plays like a spoof of vintage soda ads.

The humor is dry and self-aware, speaking directly to an audience that has seen every kind of celebrity-backed drink.

Theroux explained why he joined the project and what makes the campaign stand out:

“It was an easy yes when he approached me with this idea.

Stiller is on a mission to bring soda back to its roots while modernizing it for everyone — soda novices included.”

Stiller, meanwhile, described the concept behind the product and its throwback appeal:

"With Stiller’s Soda, we kept it simple: great taste, nothing weird, just added vitamins to make it a little better for you — but with the fizz and flavor we all remember.

It’s soda you can actually feel good about and made for everyone to enjoy.”

The brand was co-founded with beverage entrepreneur Alex Doman, previously of Avec Drinks.

Soda That Tastes Like Soda

The drinks come in three flavors: root beer, lemon-lime, and Shirley Temple.

Each can contains 30 calories, 7 grams of sugar, and added vitamins C, D, and B12.

Stiller's Soda uses a mix of cane sugar, stevia, and monk fruit for sweetness, with real juice in the lemon-lime and Shirley Temple varieties.

The "Zoolander" actor says the idea came from his childhood memories of ordering Shirley Temples at dinner.

"People still love soda. They just want one that feels right for today."

Unlike brands like Poppi or Olipop, Stiller’s Soda skips the probiotic angle.

The brand doesn't intend to make functional claims.

It simply wants to offer something familiar with a few modern touches.

The product is now available at select retailers in New York City and nationwide via Amazon, with Walmart.com and more U.S. locations coming next year.

Crowded Category with Room for Flavor

Stiller's Soda enters a competitive space where health-focused drinks dominate shelf space.

But it carves out its spot with flavor and simplicity.

According to Grand View Research, the global diet soft drinks market was valued at $4.87 billion in 2023.

It is projected to reach $6.29 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 3.8%.

North America led the category last year, driven by consumers seeking healthier alternatives to sugary drinks.

Stiller’s Soda looks to meet this demand without overcomplicating the experience.

And it's entering with the advantage of celebrity-backed recognition, which could accelerate early market penetration in a category where standing out is often the toughest hurdle.

Creative & Campaign Takeaways for Agencies

Celebrity launches don’t have to follow the usual script. Stiller’s Soda succeeds by leaning into self-awareness.

• Humor works when it respects the audience’s intelligence and reflects the person behind the brand.
• A personal story can sell a product better than a long list of ingredients.
• A light approach to health messaging can go further than overpromising wellness claims.

When the tone, talent, and taste all line up, the work speaks for itself.

Our Take: Can a Joke Sell Soda?

I didn’t expect a celebrity soda launch to land this well, but this one worked. The ad didn’t try to be everything at once.

It let Stiller and Theroux do what they do best: lean into a joke without overexplaining it.

And the product backed it up.

Clean ingredients, familiar flavors, and a label that felt like someone actually cared about making a drink people would reach for.

It piqued my curiosity enough to want to try it, which is more than I can say for most celebrity product launches.

Stiller’s Soda may be a newcomer, but it shows how a fresh idea can make people take notice.

On the other hand, legacy brand Coca-Cola has the ability to apply different campaign strategies.

Its playable Times Square billboard invited people to interact with the soda giant in real time.

It then shifted to hugs and harmony at the Olympics to emphasize human connection on the global stage.

Want to launch with a wink? These agencies help F&B brands use humor and self-awareness to stand out.