Marketing is a vastly different task than it was just a few decades ago. While the Don Draper’s of the world may have seen success in quippy one-liners in newspaper ads, it now takes some serious creativity, boldness, and a willingness to shake things up to get noticed.
It’s common to see entire days dedicated to branding activities to help executive or marketing teams “figure out” what their differentiators or “wow factors” are. However, it’s just as common for those factors to be the same generic qualities of “committed to quality” or “people first” as every competitor on the market. But there’s one brand that’s stood out as a massively successful dark horse: Liquid Death.
Liquid Death, a company that puts water in cans, has turned staying hydrated into a bold, rebellious, and pretty provocative movement. The brand has found a way to stand apart in a crowded market by using some unconventional marketing tactics. With its one-of-a-kind branding, social media campaigns that go viral, daring stunts, and engaging videos, the company has changed the way people think about their beverages Let’s learn about what can happen when you think outside the box in today’s competitive market.
If you’re unfamiliar, Liquid Death is a beverage company that started out with a simple, canned water product in 2019. It was their simple yet revolutionary concept that gave them their initial success: making water cool. Unlike traditional bottled water brands that emphasize purity, wellness, and sustainability, Liquid Death took a drastically different approach during their brand development. Their branding mirrors that of a heavy metal band, featuring skulls, gothic typography, and slogans like “Murder Your Thirst.”
The brand’s mission is not just to sell water but to challenge the status quo of beverage marketing entirely. By using a somewhat subversive attitude combined with humor, irony, and an anti-corporate ethos, Liquid Death has attracted a fiercely loyal fanbase. Their aluminum cans are also positioned as an eco-friendly alternative to plastic bottles, adding a sustainable angle to their rebellious branding.
Whether intentionally or not, Liquid Death leveraged the Bizarreness Effect, more formally known as the Von Restorff Effect, which predicts that we’ll remember the things, people, brands, etc. that stand out from the crowd most. When it comes to their product, Liquid Death’s contrast to the otherwise light, inoffensive, sterile branding of the beverage market certainly stands apart.
Liquid Death’s unconventional marketing is anything but ordinary. They have embraced unconventional, bold, and sometimes shocking campaigns that tap into pop culture, humor, and subversion. Their approach is deeply rooted in internet culture, where absurdity and satire thrive.
Rather than taking the traditional route of showcasing athletes drinking water or highlighting health benefits, Liquid Death leans into entertainment, humor, and extreme branding. They’ve made videos featuring horror scenes and enlisted famous musicians and actors for comedic ad campaigns. These tactics have helped them gain immense online traction, allowing them to build a cult-like following that extends beyond traditional water consumers.
Before exploring Liquid Death’s unorthodox approach, it’s useful to know what traditional marketing entails. Typically, conventional strategies involve activities such as in-person ads like billboards and in-store events, Pay-Per-Click ads on search engines and social media, and email marketing. Content marketing, which includes blog posts and regular social media activity, has also become a common practice for most businesses today.
While these strategies are effective, they are also predictable. Liquid Death has taken a different approach, embracing niche branding, viral social media marketing, guerrilla marketing, high-impact video content, and more. By combining these unconventional marketing strategies, the company has created a brand that has surpassed all industry expectations for a young beverage company.
Before you implement any kind of marketing strategy, there are a few exercises you need to work through first:
One of the most striking aspects of Liquid Death’s success is its commitment to an extremely niche approach during their initial brand development and logo design. The beverage industry, particularly bottled water, typically sticks to clean, fresh, and health-focused imagery like serene landscapes, clear blue skies, and mountain springs. Liquid Death completely subverted this by embracing an aesthetic more akin to a punk or heavy metal album.
Their “Murder Your Thirst” slogan, combined with an edgy skull-focused iconography, could have easily alienated a broad audience. However, by doubling down on this subversive identity, Liquid Death has managed to attract not only metalheads and alternative subcultures but also everyday consumers who appreciate the humor and originality of the brand.
By leaning into their branding with full force, they have managed to make an impact even on those who wouldn’t typically be drawn to gothic or punk aesthetics. This proves that bold, unapologetic branding can be incredibly effective when executed with confidence and consistency.
While social media marketing has become a standard practice for most brands, Liquid Death stands out by pushing the boundaries of what’s considered “normal” in online advertising.
By leveraging humor, shock value, and internet culture, Liquid Death has built a highly engaged social media following that actively shares and promotes their content.
Guerrilla marketing is all about being unusual and leveraging attention-grabbing tactics that generate buzz and conversation. Liquid Death has mastered this approach with outrageous campaigns, including:
These tactics not only generate viral engagement but also reinforce the brand’s rebellious and comedic identity, making them impossible to ignore.
Liquid Death’s video marketing strategy is one of the most powerful tools in their arsenal. They produce high-quality, often outrageous video ads that feel more like short films or comedy sketches than traditional commercials. Some of their most notable video campaigns include:
By focusing on high-quality entertainment rather than direct selling, Liquid Death keeps their audience engaged while reinforcing their brand’s personality.
Liquid Death’s offbeat, rebellious marketing approach has translated into everything from record-setting brand awareness and positive environmental impact to significant commercial success. Since just 2019, Liquid Death has gone from a niche startup to being stocked in major retailers and earning itself a $1.4 billion dollar valuation. Plus, their fans are not just customers; they’re incredibly-loyal brand advocates who buy merchandise, share posts, and participate in brand-led initiatives because of their love of the Liquid Death brand.
While it’s clear we see just the tip of the iceberg that is Liquid Death and there’s an immense amount of effort that’s gone into their success, it’s impossible to know if the brand would be where it is without their subversive branding and approach to marketing.
Liquid Death’s success story is a testament to the power of unconventional marketing. By embracing authenticity, they have redefined what it means to market a product in a saturated industry. Their journey showcases that businesses willing to take risks and stand out from the crowd can create a loyal following, drive massive engagement, and achieve remarkable growth.
For brands looking to break free from traditional marketing norms, Liquid Death serves as an inspiring blueprint for success. To take your small business brand to the next level, connect with the marketing experts at your local PostNet to get started.
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