In a world where social feeds are saturated and attention is fleeting, Universal Destinations & Experiences (UDX) set out in search of a new opportunity to cut through the noise. The focus wasn’t short-term conversion, but long-term brand relevance — creating content that could ignite cultural buzz and make Universal theme parks part of everyday conversation, even among those who’ve never visited.
To do this, we crafted a branded series that could reach broad audiences beyond existing fans, command mainstream attention, and spark viral social moments. Instead of developing videos that only appeal to theme park enthusiasts, we created COASTARS — an interview series that taps into celebrity influence, pop culture, and the shared joy of watching people scream on our rides.
COASTARS brings two celebrity co-stars together on a world-class attraction, capturing unfiltered reactions, natural chemistry, and delightfully uncomfortable moments that make viewers laugh, share, and rewatch. The show puts a fresh spin on traditional celebrity press tour stops, transforming them into fun, modern cultural moments and a must-do for today’s biggest stars. With each episode, we aim to reach new audiences, drive conversation, and make Universal culturally relevant — not just as a destination, but part of the zeitgeist in a way that feels authentic, entertaining, and relatable.
COASTARS reimagines the traditional press tour through the lens of a travel brand, focusing on three key ideas:
1. Celebrities as Cultural Amplifiers - COASTARS introduces a new way for celebrities to expand their reach beyond traditional press tours — by simply having fun at a Universal theme park. Celebrities already visit Universal with their families and friends, so the park is a familiar, authentic setting where they can relax, let loose, and unabashedly be themselves. Our series builds on that by giving them a playful way to celebrate their latest work while doing what they already love — riding our attractions. So far, we've spotlighted culturally relevant talent driving today’s conversations, including:
2. A New Kind of Press Tour - Traditional press tours can feel stale and overly promotional. COASTARS flips the script by placing celebrities in a setting where they can’t be rehearsed — they have to be real. This approach reflects how press tours have evolved beyond traditional interviews: today, celebrities eat hot wings, take lie detector tests, pet puppies, and do whatever it takes to create entertaining, shareable moments. COASTARS taps into this shift in the most natural way for Universal to join the conversation — through its rides. By putting celebrities on our most thrilling attractions, we let reactions and chemistry drive the content — resulting in real, unscripted moments.
3. Co-star Chemistry & Schadenfreude - Connection is the new currency. Audiences crave celebrity relationships because they offer a sense of human connection, and publicists have turned this fascination into a cultural phenomenon. COASTARS leans into that obsession by pairing co-stars and letting their off-screen chemistry drive the story. It also delivers a healthy dose of schadenfreude — the same thrill that makes viewers love Hot Ones. Instead of watching celebrities suffer through spicy wings, fans now get to watch their favorite famous duos scream on our attractions. It’s chaotic, hilarious, and impossible to ignore.
COASTARS was developed and filmed during the lead-up to the opening of Epic Universe, while the park was still in final preparation and not fully operational. This created urgency and exclusivity, and the series became one of the first high-profile cultural touchpoints for the new theme park. Once launched, the pilot leveraged cross-promotion across celebrity social channels, UDX socials, NBCUniversal communications, IGN, Access Hollywood, fan-created content, and the Epic Universe Grand Opening livestreams, where Matt and Bowen Yang unveiled the show to viewers for the first time.
COASTARS’ first two episodes have already generated a combined 4.6 million views and counting, demonstrating the format’s ability to reach broad audiences and resonate with viewers. Together, they delivered 4.3M total impressions, 270K hours watched, and an exceptional 98% positive sentiment — highlighting strong engagement and sustained audience interest from launch.
The series earned coverage across major outlets including IGN, Access Hollywood, and the Las Culturistas podcast, and was featured on the Epic Universe Grand Opening livestreams, creating a viral ecosystem of promotion and fan-driven amplification.
The How to Train Your Dragon episode generated significant buzz for the film’s release, sparking fan excitement and user-generated content in the form of fan-cam videos across TikTok, Instagram, and X — exactly the kind of audience-driven virality the series was designed to achieve. Both episodes also drove efficient traffic to the Universal homepage, showing that viewers were not only watching — they were exploring the destination. These results demonstrate the series’ ability to convert cultural attention into meaningful destination-based interest, bridging entertainment and travel.
COASTARS is greenlit for more episodes in 2026 — timed to major movie releases and tentpole pop culture events — ensuring Universal remains part of the conversation during the moments that matter most. The series has redefined what celebrity content can look like for a travel brand, turning Universal theme parks into a modern cultural topic that audiences actively engage with, share, and discuss — making the brand more relevant, entertaining, and top-of-mind for new and existing audiences alike.
