Latest / Brand Storytelling with Fexingo: Narrative, Mission, and Stories That Sell / How Liquid Death Disrupted Beverage Marketing
Transcript
- Lucas: There's a brand that sells canned water in tallboys that look like tallboys of beer, calls itself Liquid Death, and is now worth north of seven hundred million dollars. Luna: And people actually buy it — like, willingly, for a premium over regular water. I've seen it at concerts, even in some grocery stores. Lucas: Right. And here's the thing — this is not just a quirky packaging gimmick. Liquid Death has built a real brand playbook that other marketers are now studying. If these marketing conversations have sparked something you've actually used in your own work, a couple of dollars a month is genuinely what keeps these episodes ad-free — buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: Yeah, it's a small thing that makes a big difference for us. And honestly, Liquid Death itself is a case study in how a small start-up can turn a commodity into a cult. Lucas: Exactly. So let's start with the founder, Mike Cessario. He came from the ad world — worked at places like AKQA. And he noticed that the beverage aisle was either serious, healthy, or boring. Nothing was fun, irreverent, or punk. Luna: So he decided to create a brand that looked like a metal band's energy drink but was just water. No sugar, no caffeine, no fake stuff. Lucas: He launched in 2019 with a simple mission: 'Murder your thirst.' The name alone — Liquid Death — is designed to make you stop scrolling. And that's the core of their strategy: every single piece of communication has to earn attention. Luna: It's almost anti-marketing, right? Like, they make fun of traditional advertising. Their social media posts are often sarcastic, self-deprecating, or just weird. Lucas: Yes, but it's still very strategic. Let me give you a concrete example. They have a product called 'Severed Lime' — it's sparkling water with lime flavor. The label says 'Severed Lime' with a cartoon decapitated lime. That's the kind of dark humor that their audience loves. Luna: And they don't just sell water. They sell merch — t-shirts, hats, even coffin-shaped coolers. I think their merch revenue is actually a significant chunk of their business. Lucas: It is. In fact, early on, they sold more merch than water. They used the merch to build a community. They created a brand that people wanted to wear, to be seen with. That's a classic punk-rock move — you don't just consume the product, you identify with it. Luna: But isn't that risky? I mean, a water brand that sells t-shirts before it even has distribution in stores? Lucas: It's risky, but it also flips the traditional funnel. Normally, you build awareness, then consideration, then purchase. Liquid Death built a fanbase first. They used viral content on social media — especially TikTok and Instagram — to create a tribe. Then they sold them water. Luna: And the content itself is part of the product. They have a YouTube channel, a podcast called 'Liquid Death Death', and they do absurd stunts. Like, they once 'endorsed' a fake politician. Lucas: That was their 'Governor of Thirst' campaign. They actually ran a satirical campaign for a fictional candidate. All of it is designed to keep the brand top of mind in a way that feels like entertainment, not advertising. Luna: So what's the actual marketing spend look like? Because they're not running Super Bowl ads. Lucas: They're not. According to reports, they've spent very little on traditional media. Instead, they invest in content production and influencer partnerships. They work with musicians, comedians, and artists who align with the brand's tone — people like Dave Grohl, who actually invested in the company. Luna: And that authenticity — or at least the perception of it — is key. Their audience feels like the brand is 'in on the joke' with them. Lucas: Exactly. And the packaging itself is a piece of content. The tallboy can — 16.9 ounces, same as a beer — is meant to be held. It's shareable on social media. People post photos of themselves drinking Liquid Death at concerts, hiking, or just being ironic. Luna: I've seen people use them as props in memes. The brand actually encourages that. They have a 'Content Machine' program where fan-created content gets featured on their channels. Lucas: That's smart because it turns customers into creators. And it feeds back into the core narrative: Liquid Death is not a beverage company, it's a lifestyle brand that happens to sell water. That distinction matters. Luna: But can they scale? I mean, seven hundred million valuation is impressive, but it's still a fraction of what Coke or Pepsi do. Lucas: Scale is the big question. They've expanded into multiple flavors — still water, sparkling, even iced tea under the 'Armpits' brand. And they've gotten distribution in places like Whole Foods, Target, and 7-Eleven. But mass-market beverages rely on cheap, convenient, and ubiquitous. Liquid Death is premium-priced and niche by design. Luna: And the edgy tone — can it appeal to a broader audience without losing its core? That's always the tension with a niche brand. Lucas: Right. The brand has already faced some backlash. Their 'Don't Be a Pussy' campaign — which was meant to be empowering — got criticized as offensive. They apologized, but it showed the risk of walking that line. Luna: Still, they've proven that an anti-brand can be a brand. And marketers can learn from their playbook. Lucas: I think there are three lessons. One: design matters as much as the product. The can is the ad. Two: build a community before you build distribution. And three: be willing to polarize. You can't be everyone's favorite water. Luna: And that's a hard lesson for most brands. Everyone wants to be liked. Liquid Death is fine with being loved by some and hated by others. Lucas: Because hated means remembered. And in a crowded aisle, being remembered is half the battle. So the question I'd leave listeners with is: what's your brand's 'Liquid Death'? What would you say that your brand would never say — and why not? Luna: That's a good challenge. For now, I'm going to go crack open a can of 'Severed Lime', for research purposes. Lucas: Cheers to that. We'll be back next week with another story.