Liquid Death

When Liquid Death began raising money through Indiegogo in 2017 with a video claiming water as the deadliest fluid on Earth and commanding consumers to “Murder Your Thirst,” many were left wondering: Is this a joke? Well, after nearly three years on the market, the answer is a firm ‘Yes and No.’ The recipient of BevNET’s 2019 Best Marketing award, Liquid Death established its name through genuinely hysterical and provocative advertising campaigns that have continued to roll out at breakneck pace. From gimmicky headline grabbers like giving away free cans in exchange for consumers’ souls to most recently releasing a 45-minute horror movie on Amazon Prime, that marketing prowess -- driven by the vision of co-founder and CEO Mike Cessario -- is but only the support structure for a legitimate business model. Liquid Death has rebuked any notion that it’s merely a novelty by building an omnichannel brand around mountain spring water in a tallboy can, all while wielding sustainability bonafides like no other; has any phrase summed up the beverage industry’s shift towards green packaging better than “Death to Plastic?” But the company has also made series moves in the market, securing an exclusive partnership with the country’s largest live event promoter, raising over $50 million in capital, and building out its leadership team with experienced c-suite and director hires. How much further can Liquid Death take this concept? It’s hard to say, but take this brand as a joke at your own risk.