Strong messages may be communicated through marketing, influencing customer behaviour and validating statements we constantly see and hear about ourselves. It simultaneously directs our goals and validates our self-perception. Liquid Death is one such water brand that has taken a humorous approach to market itself as the “deadliest stuff on earth”.
Liquid Death’s strategy is to give a boring product excellent branding. They rely heavily on humour in their marketing, but are serious about their mission to reduce plastic beverage bottles. They can generate hype and excitement using the drop campaign model, where a limited number of products are released at once and quickly sell out. Liquid Death also captures people’s attention through its edgy marketing, packaging, and intelligent social media strategy.
The given ad tries to bring out a storyline that has never been explored before-Justify the name of the brand, Liquid Death. The actor initially draws out how bottled water is consistently found in aesthetic shapes and forms for drinking purposes. Still, water is as deadly a force to reckon as ever. It shows Liquid Death in a can, which is being poured out simultaneously. It then portrays water as not only something we consume, but also as a natural disaster and cause of Death in various forms. The “Deadliest Stuff On Earth” campaign was where they released a series of videos and images that depicted their water as a force of destruction. This campaign effectively captured the attention of its target audience and set Liquid Death apart from other water brands.
The humorous element throughout the advertisements is how they bring a serious tone to a comical representation. Water is given a name that it deserves, considering its deadly effects and capabilities as a force of nature. Hence, the ad concluded with why it is called Liquid Death. Towards the end of the advertisement, the actor can be seen holding the canned water, finally revealing that it was actually being drained out on a man who was tied up and kept hostage as though to drown him.
All the different aspects of such a creative production have helped the brand garner the attention of various audiences keen to know more about the brand, as they continue to create hype and curiosity. Additionally, they have created a clear brand strategy by using an extremely bold marketing approach that takes inspiration from the heavy metal and punk rock aesthetic to target a market segment that wasn’t previously being targeted. As a result, the company’s branding and campaigns are heavily influenced by punk and metal culture. Liquid Death is also committed to killing plastic and donating 10% of its profits to non-profit organizations to curb climate change.