Beyond Immerse Builds Marketing Push Around Josh Hart With Serialized “Best Friend Auditions” Series

Beyond Meat has launched a six-part digital campaign for its Beyond Immerse protein drink featuring New York Knicks guard Josh Hart. The campaign, titled “Best Friend Auditions,” follows Hart as he searches for a new best friend to share a can of Beyond Immerse with, as his previous famous teammate is too busy. The episodic storytelling format showcases a stream of eager applicants competing for the role, highlighting the comedic side of Hart's off-court persona.

The campaign builds on Hart's appointment as a Beyond Immerse ambassador and the beverage's retail rollout across New York. Beyond Meat aims to reverse a sales decline by positioning its functional beverage line as part of an effort to expand beyond meat alternatives into higher-frequency purchase occasions. Aligning the product with a professional athlete and a performance-and-recovery message reflects the company's past successful marketing strategies utilizing NBA players.