Latest / Brand Storytelling with Fexingo: Narrative, Mission, and Stories That Sell / How Liquid Death Turned Canned Water Into a Rebel Brand
Transcript
- Lucas: So, Liquid Death. Canned water, heavy metal branding, and a billion-dollar valuation. It sounds like a parody, but it's real — and it's one of the most studied marketing case studies of the past five years. Luna: I know people who drink it — they love the aesthetic. But I always wonder: is it actually about the water, or is it all just theater? Lucas: If today's conversation sparks something you've actually used in your own thinking about branding — whether it's a new way to position a product or just a smarter angle on storytelling — you can help keep this show ad-free by throwing a few bucks at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's listener support that lets us keep doing deep dives without interruption. Luna: Yeah, totally. It's a small ask for something that hopefully gives you real value. Okay, back to Liquid Death — so it's theater, but theater that sells water at a premium. Lucas: Exactly. Founder Mike Cessario came from an ad agency background. He knew that selling plain water is nearly impossible — it's a commodity. So he created a brand that people wanted to be seen with. The can looks like a beer or an energy drink. It says 'Liquid Death' in gothic font. The tagline is 'Murder your thirst.' Luna: And that's the whole thing — it's not just packaging. The entire brand voice is satirical, almost punk rock. They mock health trends, they mock corporate speak. Lucas: They do. And it's disciplined. Every piece of copy, every social post, every PR stunt fits that voice. In 2023, they staged a fake lawsuit against the state of California for not allowing them to say 'death' on a water can. That got millions of views. Luna: The 'Beverly Hills lawsuit' — right? They sued the city for using 'Death' in their name or something absurd. It was pure performance. Lucas: Yeah. And it worked. By 2023, Liquid Death was valued at $1.4 billion. They had sold over 200 million cans. And they've expanded into iced tea and flavored seltzers, all under the same dark, ironic umbrella. Luna: So how do you build a brand on irony without it wearing thin? I feel like a lot of 'funny' brands get old fast. Lucas: That's the key question. Cessario has said they're not a water company — they're an entertainment company that happens to sell water. They put out music videos, partner with metal bands, run a comedy tour. The product becomes a merch item, not a utility. Luna: It's almost like Red Bull's strategy — the drink is secondary to the lifestyle. But Red Bull is about energy and extreme sports. Liquid Death is about absurdity and rebellion. Lucas: Right. And it's specifically anti-corporate. They mock the wellness industry, they mock plastic bottles. Their cans are infinitely recyclable, but they never lead with sustainability. They lead with 'death to plastic' as a joke. Luna: Which is brilliant because it lets them sidestep preachy marketing. They're not telling you to save the planet — they're just being funny, and the eco-friendly message comes through anyway. Lucas: Exactly. And that's the lesson for other brands: you can have a serious mission without sounding serious. But it requires total commitment to the bit. You can't be half-ironic. Luna: Half-ironic — that's a good phrase. I think of brands that try to be funny but then pull back because they're afraid of offending someone. Liquid Death doesn't pull back. Lucas: They don't. And they've been criticized for it — some say it glorifies violence, or that it's in poor taste. But Cessario's response is essentially: 'It's a joke, lighten up.' And that consistency is why their audience trusts them. Luna: So what's the number one takeaway for someone listening who runs a brand? If you're a CPG company, should you try to be Liquid Death? Lucas: No — because the moment you try to copy the aesthetic, you lose the authenticity. But you can borrow the principle: find a voice that's distinct and own it completely. Don't try to please everyone. Liquid Death's audience skews young, male, and internet culture heavy. That's fine. Luna: So niche down, then scale up. That's a classic playbook, but they executed it flawlessly. Lucas: Exactly. And they used social media as their primary distribution — not paid ads. Their TikTok and Instagram are full of user-generated content, weird challenges, and collaborations with comedians. The brand itself generates the content. Luna: I remember they did a 'Bury Me in Liquid Death' coffin promotion one Halloween. It's just consistently on-brand. Lucas: That's the thing — it's not a campaign, it's a culture. And that's rare. Most brands talk about building community, but they're still broadcasting. Liquid Death actually lets the audience participate. Luna: So if I'm a marketer for a boring product — say, insurance or accounting software — can I use any of this? Lucas: You can't be Liquid Death, but you can find the edge in your category. What's the absurd thing about insurance? That we pay for something we hope never to use. Lean into that. Create a character, a tone, a running joke. The key is commitment. Luna: And you have to be willing to turn some people off. That's hard for big brands that want to be safe. Lucas: Right. Liquid Death's Cessario has said: 'If you're not making some people angry, you're not being interesting enough.' That's a tough line for a corporate board to swallow, but it's true for brands that want to break through. Luna: So what's next for them? They've done water, iced tea, seltzers. Are they going to become a beverage conglomerate? Lucas: They could. But I think the bigger question is whether the irony can sustain as they grow. When you're a $1.4 billion company with distribution in Walmart and Target, the rebel image gets harder to maintain. You're no longer the anti-establishment upstart — you are the establishment. Luna: That's the classic punk to pop trajectory. The Sex Pistols ended up on a t-shirt at H&M. Lucas: Exactly. And Liquid Death is aware of it. They keep leaning into the absurdity — they recently started selling 'Dead Billionaires' club merchandise, mocking their own success. It's a way to stay ahead of the criticism. Luna: So self-awareness might be the ultimate marketing tool. Lucas: If you can pull it off. Liquid Death proves that a brand built on a joke can be taken seriously — as long as you never stop telling the joke.