Kim Kardashian Wins Battle Against Jimmy Fallon for New Beats Collaboration

After days of battling it out with Jimmy Fallon to earn the next hot Beats collaboration, Kim Kardashian announced on The Tonight Show on Wednesday that she came out on top, revealing the Beats x Kim headphones. 

Of course, it was never really a competition. 

Since Monday, the Apple brand has pitted Kardashian against Fallon in a contest to become the face of its new headphones. The two have engaged in playful banter on social media and invited the public to weigh in on which version they prefer: Beats by Jim or Beats by Kim. 

But the competition was imaginary to build hype for Kardashian’s latest collab with Beats. 

Before the big reveal, the brand dropped a video, created by agency Mirimar, in which Fallon arrives at Beats headquarters to fulfill his dream of getting his signature headphones. 

However, on his way to the meeting room, he sees something he shouldn’t have: a focus group discussing two proposed collections.

Kardashian’s headphones, coming in three sleek, nude shades, are met with enthusiasm. But Fallon’s mustard-colored version, inspired by his love of hot dogs, receives a less than positive response. 

“Jimmy’s are gross,” one man says bluntly. “Why would anyone willfully choose Jimmy’s when Kim’s exists?”

Fallon is dismayed by this reaction, and he butts in, expressing that it’s “not fair” that he’s going up against Kardashian. He’s in for another surprise when Kardashian herself appears in the room, declaring her headphones “iconic” in a mic drop moment. 

You’ve got to give Fallon points for trying, though. On social media, the late-night host promoted his “dream collab” with Beats while dressed in a mustard tracksuit. 

His sketches reveal he was also considering other versions of the product, such as “over-ear beef” and “honey mustard.”

Other teasers included texts between Fallon and Kardashian, in which she responds to his posts: “What the hell is this?” 

Kardashian then appeared on her rival’s show to share the truth: her Beats headphones are the only real ones on sale. 

Beats last partnered with Kardashian in 2022, when their special-edition Beats Fit Pro became the brand’s best-selling collaboration and sold out on Apple.com.

Beats’ strategy for this collaboration is somewhat reminiscent of CeraVe’s partnership with actor Michael Cera for the Super Bowl earlier this year. That campaign also played into an accidental name association (CeraVe vs Cera, Jim vs Kim) and built hype before launch by fueling false rumors about a celebrity’s role (with CeraVe, people speculated whether the actor was the skincare brand’s founder).