What’s the value of a name, anyway? If you ask the makers behind the viral water brand Liquid Death the answer would be $1.4bn.
The canned drink that Gen Z fans are carrying to festivals this summer will likely be a shock to anyone with festival tickets. The trendy drink is not as evil as it appears. It’s actually just water in a tin.
Liquid Death is a privately owned company founded in 2017. Its value has risen to more than one billion dollars, despite not having a product that’s particularly innovative. Last year, its global sales totaled $263m.
The company has grown by “triple digits” for the third year in a row, making it one of the fastest growing water and iced-tea brands around the globe. The brand has secured its first deals in Britain with Nisa, the Co-op, and Tesco.
Why the hype about this drink if it is just water in a can, sometimes flavoured and sparkling? This product has been around for a while on both sides.
Experts say that the success of this company is due to clever marketing. The company’s success is attributed to clever marketing. It’s even better if your brand is so different from the competition that it gets stacked with beer instead of other waters.
Alex Beckett is the director of food and drinks at Mintel. He said that: “The world was crying out for an ‘aqua’ which refers to sweat on its packaging, and has mistakenly been stocked in Tesco’s beer dispensers. It also takes design cues and inspiration from Skeletor’s fever dreams.
The consumer appetite for rulebreaker brands in these dark times is intense and is only intensified in the bottled water sector, where its potential as a health choice is spoiled because of sustainable concerns and mediocre voiced brand.
Megan Dorian is the founder of Orange PR and Marketing. She said: “Its recent campaign, in which it gave away a jet to a lucky winner, created buzz and generated significant media coverage. This amplified its brand’s presence without traditional advertising spending.
This type of guerrilla advertising appeals to Generation Z [those born after 1995], who appreciate brands that are willing and able to entertain. The ‘What’s Next?’ element is enjoyed by fans of the brand.”
At the time of Liquid Death’s launch, its slogan “murdering your thirst” was called “toxic masculinity running rampant”. It was seen as a gimmick. The tall can is emblazoned in a skull. Many skeptics thought it was an attempt to sell expensive still water to youths – the Tesco price is £5.50 per four 500ml cans.
There is no such thing, however, as bad publicity. In just a few months, the brand reached 100,000 Facebook fans.
Mike Cessario wanted to hydrate youths at parties in an innovative way. He claimed that many rival brands are unhealthy. He said, “We wanted people to be able to enjoy this cool rock’n roll brand without having to consume anything gross.”
Marketing expert Rachel Egan said that the brand is “gen Z marketing on point” as it addresses their concerns such as climate change. The company also has a motto that says “death plastic”. Its aluminium cans, it claims, are “infinitely recycleable”.
Egan continued, “I saw even a flavour named ‘Dead Billionaire” on their social media.”
The water was launched in the summer of 2009, and its supporters ranged from artists to activists. The brand collaborated with Tony Hawk to sell decks of skateboards with blood printed on them. This was done in order to raise money for charities.
Dorian stated: “The combination between a memorable brand, and a commitment towards social responsibility, makes it an attractive choice for eco-conscious consumers.” Their commitment to sustainability is more than a marketing strategy, it’s a core element of their brand identity. This further strengthens their appeal.
She continued: “Liquid death has created a lifestyle brand, not just a beverage.” It has created a community by integrating with music festivals and extreme sporting events.
Brands that are able to live quickly can die early. Even a brand of sustainable water is at risk.
Jane Ostler from Kantar analysts said Liquid Death had to be careful not to become a fad. “A clever approach may seem to get you far, but [the company] must be able to attract more people over the long term.
The packaging of this brand is one that other brands are likely to copy. Renegade branding only represents one aspect of the equation.
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