Brand

Comcast’s Xfinity Launches Vertical Reality Series Pitting College Creators for a Six-Figure Brand Deal

Published on July 31, 2026

Comcast’s Xfinity, its broadband, TV, and mobile service brand, has launched “Best in Class,” a seven-episode vertical reality competition made exclusively for Instagram and TikTok, in which six college creators compete for a six-figure brand partnership with the company.

The series is produced by NBCUniversal’s Rock Studios, the in-house creative unit behind branded work for “Love Island USA” and “The Traitors,” and marks Rock Studios’ first original social series since its June 2026 launch.

Hosted by Katie Feeney, a creator and sports media personality recently named to the 2026 TIME100 Creators list who also appears on ESPN, the series follows six university students through a set of creator-inspired challenges built around Xfinity’s WiFi and mobile service. New episodes drop weekly on Wednesdays beginning August 5. The winner earns the title of Xfinity’s first “Creator Valedictorian,” the six-figure partnership, and a year of free Xfinity Internet and Mobile.

“We didn’t want to simply attach ourselves to creator culture; we wanted to help create it,” said Julie Scelzo, Xfinity’s Chief Creative Officer, in the announcement. “Connectivity has become the foundation of modern creativity, and that’s why Xfinity is investing in the next generation of creators through ‘Best in Class.'”

The series was developed with ad agency Carmichael Lynch and Xfinity Creative Production. Karen Kovacs, NBCUniversal’s President of Advertising and Partnerships, said the project reflects demand from marketers for content built around culture rather than traditional spots, telling Variety that advertisers “are asking us to build content that pulls in the culture.”

The approach is a shift from Comcast’s past marketing playbook, which leaned on familiar franchises from its content library, including “E.T.” and “Jurassic Park,” to reach consumers through conventional TV advertising. “Best in Class” instead targets an audience less likely to engage with traditional pitches, presenting the brand through a competition format rather than a direct sales message.

The launch also lands as Comcast works to offset subscriber losses in its core cable and broadband business, particularly among younger consumers who increasingly rely on other services to get online. Co-CEO Mike Cavanagh has pointed to pricing and packaging changes and a bigger push into wireless as part of that effort, per Variety.