Liquid Death

Canned water maker Liquid Death has made a name for itself using an unorthodox – and highly catchy – approach to its branding and marketing. Now the company is hoping to take its momentum into a new category with the release of its first flavored varieties. 

Liquid Death’s initial three flavors are Severed Lime, Berry It Alive, and Mango Chainsaw. The products are sweetened lightly with agave nectar and have 3 grams of sugar and 20 calories per 16 ounce can. 

Despite the irreverent flavor names, all three flavors are straightforward and enjoyable. They’ve effectively hit the most popular flavors for the sparkling water category - citrus with Severed Lime, berry with Berry It Alive, and tropical with Mango Chainsaw.  Unlike many flavored sparkling waters currently on the market, it should be noted that  these are not zero calorie or sugar free products. 

While that might be an issue for some, we honestly like the touch of sweetness that they’ve added. It’s a bit of a tease to your palate and it both makes you want to keep coming back for more and adds some depth to the fruit flavors. And these products in no way drink like a CSD or something with a heavier level of sweetness.

That being said, this product does feel like a bit of an in-between product. It doesn’t seem like something that’s going to convert the consumer who is religiously drinking zero calorie sparkling water, but it does feel like the product they might reach for in place of a CSD.  But given the already extremely crowded and ultra price competitive nature of flavored sparkling water, we think having meaningful differentiation is key and a smart decision on their part.

On the outside, Liquid Death uses the same 16 ounce cans as in its two flagship unflavored offerings. While those two SKUs use a black and white for their backgrounds, the flavors use gold, green and silver to set them apart, while the label otherwise follows largely the same structure with the Liquid Death logo at the top, followed by the flavor name and the skull illustration. 

While the packaging definitely looks slick, there isn’t enough visual distinction from the flagship unsweetened and unflavored waters. While there is a small callout under the flavor name for “naturally flavored sparkling water,” we think it could be easy to miss, especially considering that the framework of the label is nearly identical to its flagship products. 

We’re definitely fans of Liquid Death’s branding, but we think that this sub-line needs some sort of visual element to give it its own identity.  This would help to clarify that this is not a zero calorie and unflavored product and avoid having any unhappy consumers who pick up the wrong product. 

Overall, we really like the direction that Liquid Death has taken with its initial move into flavored sparkling water. Thanks to the addition of a light amount of sweetener, the liquid is definitely something that stands out as does the somewhat unique approach to the flavor names.

With a tagline of “Murder Your Thirst,” Liquid Death is a brand that is trying to cut through the noise of the crowded bottled water category with a unique and subversive approach.

Going beyond the name, Liquid Death’s branding, which features a gothic font and an image of a skull that appears to be melting away, feels tongue-in-cheek and certainly will catch some eyes. The theme continues throughout the can (check out the copy on the back of the can if you’d like a laugh or two) and on the company’s web site, which features an age gate that states “THIS WATER MAY BE DISTURBING TO PERSONS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE.”

Another component to Liquid Death worth mentioning is the company’s use of a 16.9 oz. tallboy can. While they are not the first to put water in the can, this product is, at least from a purely aesthetic perspective, the nicest looking one that we’ve seen. If looks and feels very much like a craft beer and it at least helps make the theme of death seem approachable and inviting (did we really just say that?).

But let’s get back to reality and look at this product from a practical perspective. Liquid Death and its promise to “Murder Your Thirst” are certainly good for a chuckle or two. As with other novelty beverages, the long term prospect in taking this approach is often challenging.

It feels lower key than the likes of something like Cocaine Energy Drink, which garnered massive media impressions but eventually failed (and also was on Fortune’s list of 101 Dumbest Moments in Business). And it certainly has a leg up on Jones Soda’s Turkey & Gravy Soda in that Liquid Death is a product that you can actually consume without making yourself feel sick. Still, it’s hard to imagine people consuming this in public or retailers giving this prominent placement. Perhaps they’ll prove us wrong.

In terms of it being a functional bottled water product, we have a couple of thoughts on this, too. First, there’s the liquid inside the can, which is mountain water from the Austrian Alps. It’s naturally alkaline at 7.9 pH and has a soft mineral flavor that is certainly quite drinkable and refreshing. Second, there’s the tallboy 16.9 oz can. This has an angle of sustainability that speaks to the growing concerns over the use of plastic. However, the lack of resealable cap is likely to be a challenge.

Ultimately, we feel that Liquid Death has successfully created an eye-catching brand that is sure to give it a boost out of the gate. However, once the novelty appeal wears off, and we believe it will, this branding may limit  its potential for success in the water category.

That said, there’s probably a clever strategy for evolving this into an everyday brand with some legs to it, either by diversifying across product categories or by maturing the brand somehow.