MUG Root Beer and George Kittle Make 'Dirty Protein' in Soda Campaign

MUG Root Beer is bringing soda into the gym, and it’s not taking fitness culture too seriously.

The brand has teamed up with San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle to launch "MUG Brotein," a DIY “dirty protein” mix that combines MUG Zero Sugar with a vanilla protein shake.

The campaign plays off strict protein routines, using a nostalgic angle and a more relaxed take on gym culture.

High-energy spots featuring Kittle highlight the absurdity of the mix and, in doing so, push its appeal.

Meanwhile, the product itself is simple by design, with no need for a reformulation or a new SKU.

Instead, MUG builds the idea around a drink mix for fans who can recreate it themselves.

"As a professional athlete, protein tracking comes with the territory, but I’m also a longtime MUG Root Beer fan who will never give up my float," Kittle explained.

"MUG Brotein is the best of both worlds. The most absurd thing about it is that I didn’t do it sooner."

This tone stretches through the entire push.

MUG Root Beer's “dawg” identity drives the campaign, speaking directly to fans who want to fulfill their macros while indulging in something delicious. 

“MUG has always been for the fans who have that dawg in them,” said Michael Smith, VP of Marketing, MUG Root Beer.

“Teaming up with George Kittle to drop MUG Brotein lets us unleash that big dawg energy in fit season — creating a gainz hack that’s as fun as it is delicious.”

How Memes and Merch Lift the Campaign

At the center of the campaign is the limited-run MUG Brotein bundle, which includes MUG Zero Sugar, a vanilla protein shake, and branded gym gear like a shaker bottle, gym bag, and tank top.

The bundle drops first on Walmart.com on April 22, followed by a second release on TikTok Shop on April 28.

It's a staggered approach that creates urgency and leverages both traditional e-commerce and social media, two platforms where trend-driven products can spread quickly.

For those who miss out, MUG keeps the barrier low.

Fans can still recreate the mix using ingredients available at major retailers like Kroger and Albertsons, or via online platforms including Instacart.

MUG’s Brotein Play

For marketers, MUG offers a sharp example of how a simple concept and a play on gym tropes can become an engagement machine without tweaking the product:

• Simple product ideas can scale. A DIY concept lowers barriers and invites participation without having to be complex or jargon-filled.
• Comedy can make your brand stand out. For MUG, poking fun at gym habits and protein fixations allowed it to build relevance without directly competing on performance claims.
• Distribution should match behavior. In the case of MUG, Walmart and TikTok Shop connect planned purchases with impulse-driven discovery moments.

Last year, PepsiCo, MUG Root Beer’s parent company, reported net revenue of $93.9 billion, solidifying its position in the beverage market.

Our Take: Can a Soda Brand Belong in the Gym?

This campaign feels like it was built from a real habit instead of your usual marketing brief. 

People already mix odd things in the gym to hit their protein goals. 

Lucky for MUG, the "Brotein" is odd and unique enough to pique your usual gymbro's interest. 

The brand does not attempt to validate the mix as optimal or smart, but it does make you wonder as a consumer: How would this taste?

And that's where its charm lies.

Kittle's addition to the campaign further drives that curiosity, and with his charisma, he makes it feel more like something you’d see a friend actually try to talk about later.

In other news, Bud Light recently turned a simple packaging tweak into a full-scale campaign with Post Malone. 

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