Ashlee Simpson Ross Is Selling Liquid I.V. Hot Chocolate. It's at Target.

Remember when hot chocolate came from a paper pouch with tiny dried marshmallows?

You stirred it with a spoon that never quite got the clumps out, and it tasted like December anyway. Nobody read the back of the box. It was cocoa, and that was the whole point.

What actually happened

Liquid I.V. turned its Hydration Multiplier drink mix into a limited-edition hot chocolate called Cozy Caramel Hot Chocolate, and Ashlee Simpson Ross is the face of its holiday campaign. It’s at Target stores and Target.com, plus Liquid I.V.’s own site and TikTok Shop, according to Drug Store News. On Liquid I.V.’s site, a six-stick carton is $8.98, or $26.94 for three.

Each stick goes into hot water. The label lists 30 calories, 6 grams of added sugar, 250 milligrams of sodium and 190 milligrams of potassium, which is where the 440 milligrams of electrolytes comes from. Liquid I.V. says it’s made with real cocoa and no artificial sweeteners or colors, and there’s a plain Hot Chocolate flavor in the same holiday lineup.

Simpson Ross also designed a black mug with a blue snowflake, and only 1,000 exist. It comes in a $39.99 bundle on Liquid I.V.’s site with two cartons of each flavor, and $10 from every bundle goes to the brand’s Impact Program for clean water projects. “The mugs are definitely a stocking stuffer this year,” she told Billboard.

The mugs are definitely a stocking stuffer this year.The WellWham perspective

Our read: hydration is coming for winter

This is our read. Electrolyte powders used to live in gym bags and beach coolers. Now the biggest brands want a spot in your year, so they’re borrowing the comfort foods we already crave in cold months. A celebrity mom of three sipping cocoa in the chaos of the holidays is a very relatable way to sell salt.

The reality check

A celebrity campaign isn’t a reason to buy anything, and this is still a sweetened drink mix. The faster hydration pitch is Liquid I.V.’s own claim. If you watch your salt, 250 milligrams of sodium per cup is worth knowing before it becomes a nightly habit.

The close

The paper pouch with the tiny marshmallows still has its place. This year, its fancier cousin comes with electrolytes and a pop star’s mug.

Sources

Disclosure: WellWham has no affiliate links in this story.