Gopuff Taps Ross & Khalifa for High-Stakes New Year's Eve Play

PHILADELPHIA, PA – December 29, 2025 – As millions prepare to ring in the new year, instant commerce giant Gopuff is placing a significant bet on star power, teaming up with hip-hop icons Rick Ross and Wiz Khalifa for an ambitious New Year's Eve promotion. The campaign, which features deep discounts on party essentials and celebrity-endorsed spirits, represents a key strategic move in the hyper-competitive rapid delivery market, blending cultural relevance with the promise of ultimate convenience.

On December 31, Rick Ross will reprise his role as Gopuff’s “Chief Delivery Boss,” joined by Wiz Khalifa to promote a series of aggressive deals. The offers include 26-cent mini bottles of Luc Belaire sparkling wine, 26% off select spirits like McQueen and the Violet Fog Gin, and a $26 GoCash reward on orders over $100. This celebrity-fronted push aims to capture the lucrative last-minute holiday shopping rush, promising delivery in as fast as 15 minutes.

Star Power Fuels the Quick-Commerce Wars

In the crowded and capital-intensive instant delivery sector, brand differentiation is paramount. Gopuff's strategy hinges on leveraging culturally resonant figures to cut through the marketing noise and forge a direct connection with consumers. This New Year's Eve campaign is the latest and most prominent example of a long-running playbook that has seen the company partner with figures ranging from NFL legend Tom Brady to gaming streamer Ninja.

The recurring presence of Rick Ross in the "Chief Delivery Boss" role for multiple holiday seasons suggests the company sees tangible returns from the association. Ross's persona, built around luxury and success, aligns seamlessly with the campaign's messaging. “Real bosses know time is the ultimate luxury. We don't wait in lines; we let the celebration come to us," Ross stated in the announcement, perfectly encapsulating the value proposition of on-demand delivery for a festive occasion.

The addition of Wiz Khalifa broadens the campaign's appeal and reinforces the connection to the music and entertainment world. "When Ross called me up to help deliver the party with Gopuff this New Year’s Eve, I jumped right in with McQueen Ultraviolet Gin,” Khalifa added, lending his own brand of laid-back cool to the promotion. This approach is not unique to Gopuff but reflects a wider trend in the delivery industry, where celebrity endorsements are seen as a critical tool for building brand awareness and trust, particularly among younger, digitally native audiences who are prime users of these services.

The campaign is supported by a creative holiday spot depicting Ross and Khalifa in a "Freaky Friday-like" experience after ordering from the service, a narrative designed to be memorable and shareable on social media. By embedding its service within a culturally relevant storyline featuring major artists, Gopuff aims to do more than just announce a sale; it seeks to become part of the celebration itself.

Redefining the Artist Partnership

Beneath the surface of the flashy promotion lies a more nuanced approach to brand collaboration. Gopuff's Director of Brand Marketing, Harrison Combs, articulated this philosophy, stating, “The future of artist partnerships is ownership and expression, not endorsements.” This statement signals a strategic shift away from transactional celebrity appearances toward deeper, more integrated relationships.

This model of "ownership and expression" manifests in several ways. First, it allows artists to promote products they are genuinely connected to, or even have a stake in. The campaign prominently features Luc Belaire, a brand long associated with Rick Ross, and McQueen and the Violet Fog Gin, which is championed by Wiz Khalifa. This creates a symbiotic relationship where Gopuff provides an instant distribution platform for the artists' associated brands, and in return, gains a layer of authenticity that a standard endorsement might lack. The promotion becomes less of a paid ad and more of a co-branded event.

Furthermore, this model suggests a higher degree of creative collaboration. Rather than simply reading from a script, artists like Ross and Khalifa are positioned as partners who bring their unique "world" to the brand's fans. This approach is exemplified by Gopuff's multi-year partnership with Tom Brady, who is not only a brand ambassador but also an investor and a curator for the platform's health and wellness category. While the exact terms of the deals with Ross and Khalifa are not public, the "ownership" language hints at a structure that aligns the artists' success with the company's performance, moving beyond a simple flat fee. This evolution of the celebrity deal is crucial for fostering long-term brand loyalty and creating marketing that resonates as authentic in an era of discerning consumers.

New Year, New Convenience

At its core, the campaign is a powerful demonstration of Gopuff's fundamental business model: radical convenience. By offering everything from champagne flutes and confetti cannons to appetizers and ice, all delivered in minutes, the company positions itself as the ultimate logistical solution for modern celebrations. The New Year's Eve deals are designed to be irresistible entry points for new and lapsed customers.

The 26-cent mini bottles of sparkling wine function as classic loss leaders, designed to entice users onto the app, where they are likely to build a larger cart with higher-margin items. The offer of $26 in GoCash for orders over $100 is a direct incentive to increase the average order value (AOV) while simultaneously encouraging a future purchase, a key metric for customer retention. This promotional architecture is enabled by Gopuff's vertically integrated infrastructure. Unlike gig-work platforms that shop at third-party stores, Gopuff operates its own network of micro-fulfillment centers, giving it direct control over inventory, pricing, and delivery logistics.

This control allows the company to absorb the costs of such aggressive promotions and ensures it can meet the surge in demand during peak times like New Year's Eve. The promise of "delivery in as fast as 15 minutes, 24/7 in many locations" is a direct result of this hyper-local model. For the consumer, it transforms party planning from a series of stressful errands into a few taps on a smartphone, catering directly to the powerful psychological appeal of instant gratification.

Balancing Promotion with Regulation

While the celebrity-fueled campaign is designed for maximum visibility, it operates within a heavily regulated landscape, particularly concerning the sale and marketing of alcohol. Gopuff's promotional materials carefully include disclaimers noting that offers are for customers "21+" and are only available "in select markets" and "where legal." This language reflects the complex patchwork of state and local laws governing alcohol delivery across the United States.

For any rapid delivery service, ensuring compliance through robust age verification at both the point of sale and upon delivery is a critical operational and legal necessity. The high-profile nature of the campaign, featuring major celebrities promoting alcoholic beverages, invites increased scrutiny from both regulators and public health advocates. By embedding these legal caveats directly into its public announcements, Gopuff demonstrates an awareness of its responsibilities and aims to preemptively address potential concerns.

This careful balancing act comes at a pivotal time for the instant commerce industry. After a period of super-heated growth and soaring valuations during the pandemic, the market has entered a phase of consolidation and a renewed focus on sustainable profitability. Gopuff, which saw its valuation adjust from a high of $15 billion in 2021 to a reported $8.5 billion in a 2025 funding round, is under pressure to prove its model is not just fast, but financially viable. In this context, high-impact marketing campaigns like the New Year's Eve promotion are not just about driving short-term sales; they are crucial for maintaining market leadership, engaging a loyal customer base, and demonstrating a clear path to long-term growth. As the clock counts down on December 31st, Gopuff is betting that its blend of star power, aggressive deals, and unparalleled speed will not only stock the nation's parties but also solidify its position in the future of on-demand retail.