Latest / Brand Storytelling with Fexingo: Narrative, Mission, and Stories That Sell / How Liquid Death Turned Canned Water Into a Rebel Brand
Transcript
- Lucas: If I told you five years ago that one of the fastest-growing beverage brands in the U.S. would sell canned water with a skull and crossbones logo and a tagline that says 'Murder Your Thirst,' you would have laughed me out of the room. Luna: I still kind of laugh now, but then you check the numbers and realize it's not a joke. Lucas: Liquid Death hit around seven hundred million dollars in retail sales last year, and they've done it with almost zero traditional advertising. No TV spots, no billboards, no radio. It's all been built through brand storytelling that treats the product as a prop in a much bigger absurdist comedy. Luna: Right. The product is water, but the brand is a heavy metal band that happens to sell water. That's the core narrative. Lucas: Exactly. Founder Mike Cessario came from the ad world. He worked at agencies like Crispin Porter and then started his own thing. And what he understood is that water is a commodity. You can't differentiate on taste or purity in a meaningful way that consumers actually care about. So he decided to differentiate on personality. Luna: And he went all in. The can looks like a beer can. The name sounds like a death metal band. The whole thing is so over the top that it's impossible to ignore. Lucas: That's the key insight. In a category where every brand is telling you about mountain springs and electrolytes and hydration, Liquid Death says nothing about the product. They just say 'drink this and you'll look cool.' And it works because it's refreshingly honest about the fact that water is water. Luna: But there's a risk there, right? If the joke gets old, the brand falls apart. How do they keep it fresh? Lucas: That's the smartest part of their strategy. They built the brand to be a platform for ongoing content, not a one-off campaign. They've got a full-time creative team that treats the brand like a media company. They produce music videos, they sponsor metal bands, they do absurd stunts like selling a limited-edition flavor called 'Dead Billionaire' that tastes like a rich person's tears. Luna: Wait, that's actually a real flavor? I thought that was a meme. Lucas: That was a real product drop. They did it on April Fools' Day a couple of years ago, but they actually manufactured it and sold it. It was a coconut-flavored sparkling water, and the label said 'Made from the tears of billionaires who failed to buy the presidency.' It sold out in hours. That's the kind of thing that builds a loyal audience, because it's not just water — it's a statement you can buy for two bucks. Luna: And the audience loves participating. They send in their own videos, their own memes. Liquid Death reposts a ton of customer-generated content. That's basically free marketing. Lucas: They've mastered the art of letting the audience tell the story for them. One of their early viral moments was a video of a guy smashing a Liquid Death can against his head and chugging it. That got millions of views. And they didn't pay for it — a fan just made it. So they leaned into that. They created a whole 'smash a can on your head' challenge, and people actually did it. It's nuts. Luna: But at some point, you have to sell a lot of cans to keep growing. How did they go from online novelty to real retail distribution? Lucas: That's the part that impresses me most. They started in small independent stores and music venues, places where the brand identity actually fits. Then they got into Whole Foods, then Target, then Walmart. But they didn't change the packaging or the tone for those big retailers. The same skull and crossbones can that sits in a punk rock club also sits next to Dasani in a SuperTarget. That consistency is rare. Luna: Most brands would soften the edges for Walmart. Liquid Death didn't. Lucas: And that's why they won. Because the brand means something. It's not just a can of water — it's a middle finger to the boring, sanitized beverage industry. And when you buy it, you're signaling that you're in on the joke. That's powerful. Luna: I want to talk about one specific campaign that I think crystallizes their approach. They did a thing in 2024 where they 'sued' a guy for using their hashtag without permission. But it was a prank — they actually sent him a case of water and a funny legal letter. They turned the whole thing into content. Lucas: Yes, that was brilliant. They're constantly manufacturing these little story moments that feel authentic even though they're clearly staged. It's like a parody of corporate behavior that actually generates real engagement. They're essentially a performance art project that happens to sell beverages. Luna: So what's the lesson for other brands here? You can't all become a heavy metal water company. But what can you take from this? Lucas: I think the biggest takeaway is that brand storytelling doesn't have to be earnest. It can be fun, it can be ironic, it can be absurd. Most marketers are terrified of being laughed at. Liquid Death was built on being laughed with. They leaned into the absurdity, and people loved them for it. Also, they understood that consistency of voice matters more than any individual campaign. Every single touchpoint — the can, the website, the social posts, the customer service replies — all live in the same world. Luna: That's a good point. If you're going to have a distinctive brand voice, you have to commit to it 100 percent. You can't have one funny ad and then go back to boring corporate speak. Lucas: Right. And Liquid Death never breaks character. Even their investor pitch deck was designed to look like a concert poster. They are relentlessly on-brand. And that's how you turn a commodity into a cult. Luna: One thing I've noticed is that they're also very smart about using scarcity and drops. They release limited-edition flavors and designs that create urgency. People line up for a new Liquid Death flavor like it's a sneaker drop. Lucas: Absolutely. It's the streetwear playbook applied to water. They've done collaborations with bands like Slipknot and designers like Rick Owens. The cans become collectibles. And because the brand is so visually distinct, people actually display them. I've seen Liquid Death cans used as decor in apartments. That's not something you see with Poland Spring. Luna: I'll admit, I have a few on my shelf. They look cool. Lucas: See? You're part of the story now. That's the goal — make the customer the hero of the brand narrative. And Liquid Death does that better than almost anyone. Every time someone posts a photo of themselves holding a can, they're adding a new chapter to the brand's story. Luna: It's a really interesting case study in how to build a brand without paid media. They rely almost entirely on earned and owned channels. And it's working. Lucas: Speaking of that — you know, this show is a lot like that in a way. We don't run ads, we don't have sponsors shouting at you. It's just us having these conversations because we genuinely find them interesting. And the reason we can keep doing that is that listeners who enjoy it sometimes choose to support the show directly. If these marketing breakdowns have sparked something you've actually used in your work or just made you think differently about a brand, you can buy us a coffee. It's buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. That's buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No pressure, but it helps us keep the show exactly the way it is. Luna: Yeah, and it's a nice way to say 'I like this' without having to leave a review or anything. Just a simple gesture. Lucas: Exactly. So, back to Liquid Death. I want to talk about one more thing — how they handled the inevitable backlash. Because when you're a brand that leans into heavy metal and rebellion, you're going to attract critics who say you're glorifying violence or marketing to kids. Luna: Right. There was that whole controversy about the name and the skull imagery. Some parents groups complained. Lucas: And their response was perfect. They didn't apologize. They doubled down. They released a statement saying 'Our water is for everyone, but especially for people who think a skull is cool.' They turned the criticism into more content. They even made a video where a guy in a skeleton costume drinks Liquid Death while the controversy is discussed in the background. It's pure trolling. Luna: That's risky but it works because it's consistent. If they had apologized, they would have looked weak and the brand would have lost its edge. Lucas: Exactly. And that's the final lesson — know who you are and don't waver. Liquid Death isn't for everyone. And they're fine with that. In fact, they're proud of it. When you try to appeal to everyone, you appeal to no one. They'd rather have a million superfans than ten million indifferent customers. Luna: That's a good note to end on. So what's next for them? Do you think they can keep this momentum? Lucas: I think they can, as long as they stay true to the formula. They're expanding into other beverages — they've got iced tea and flavored sparkling water now. But they're applying the same absurdist lens. Their iced tea is called 'Armageddon Tea' and the tagline is 'Anti-Sweet Tea.' It's the same playbook. And it's working so far. I wouldn't bet against them. Luna: Alright, I'm going to go buy a case of Dead Billionaire. Thanks, Lucas. Lucas: Ha. Just don't smash it on your head. Drink it. Luna: No promises.