Liquid Death just found the perfect fictional politician to sell caffeine.
The canned beverage company is teaming up with Ashley Barrett, the power-hungry Vice President from Prime Video’s "The Boys," to be the latest spokesperson for its Sparkling Energy line.
Played by actress Colby Minifie, Barrett becomes the face of what Liquid Death calls "product placement for public health," with the brand joking that Sparkling Energy is now "the first product to be endorsed by the executive branch."
The campaign continues a partnership between Liquid Death and "The Boys" that first started in 2021.
Previous collaborations centered around The Deep, the show’s deeply incompetent aquatic superhero.
Now, the brand shines the spotlight on Barrett, who becomes a chaotic political endorser for the energy drink line.
"We're obviously massive fans of The Boys," Andy Pearson, VP of Creative at Liquid Death, told DesignRush.
"We've already done two crossovers with (somewhat questionable) endorsements by The Deep.
This time, we wanted to move on to a new, ascendant influencer, Vice President Ashley Barrett, who has real girlboss energy.”
The move also gives Liquid Death another chance to continue its entertainment-first approach to product marketing, where its drinks often feels secondary to an absurd fictional world wrapped around it.
Minifie also shared her thoughts on taking part in the campaign.
"Liquid Death is famous for making water cool, and I was honored they chose me to participate in the launch of their new energy drink," she said.
"Ashley is definitely their number one customer. I had a blast filming this ad."
A Campaign Built Like TV Lore
In the fictional setup, Barrett speaks of the government's new revenue stream: product placement for public health.
She then drops alarming facts about "explosive" energy drinks, before introducing Liquid Death's Sparkling Energy drink as an alternative.
Barrett then walks viewers through the drink, which includes 100mg of caffeine, zero sugar, and five calories.
"I didn't get to where I am by being handed anything other than a delicious Liquid Death Sparling Energy," she says, as heads explode on the side of the room to close the spot.
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Notably, the timing of the ad drop also aligns with the final season rollout for The Boys, whose series finale is set to air on May 20.
This gives the campaign a natural promotional runway across social media platforms as fans anticipate the show’s ending.
Like its earlier Running Man film partnership, Liquid Death once again places itself directly in a fictional universe rather than just attaching a logo to promotional material.
This makes its efforts feel more like an expanded canon for viewers.
Liquid Death’s Fictional Political Endorsement
To brand leaders chasing audience attention, Liquid Death is giving a lesson on how entertainment worlds can become long-term marketing ecosystems:
- Recurring fictional characters can make campaigns feel serialized instead of disposable social content.
- Entertainment partnerships are more effective when the product naturally fits the tone and humor of the show or film.
- Building campaign continuity across years can reward fans and deepen audience attachment over time.
Last year, Liquid Death reportedly surpassed $333 million in retail sales, staking its claim as a top competitor in the beverage industry.
Our Take: Are Ads Better When They Feel Daring?
Liquid Death understands that nobody wants another beverage ad of smiling people jogging at sunrise.
This campaign works because it feels unhinged, mean, and completely aware of how ridiculous advertising has become.
And make no mistake, The Boys was the perfect show to execute this vision.
With Ashley Barrett at the center, the company continues to build its own mythology through entertainment collabs.
And while most brands chase virality like tourists, virality comes naturally to a brand as irreverent, disruptive, and self-aware as Liquid Death.
Recently, Smirnoff Ice teamed up with hit reality show Love Island to have fans vote on their next flavor.
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