How Liquid Death Designed a $700m Valuation Canned Water Brand
Liquid Death is a canned water company that has quickly become a cult favorite. The brand’s unique identity has helped it stand out in a crowded market and achieve impressive growth.
The Crowded Water Market
The bottled water market is crowded, with dozens of brands vying for consumers’ attention. To stand out, brands need to have a unique selling proposition (USP). Liquid Death’s USP is its packaging. The brand’s cans feature spooky skull graphics and dark humor-filled marketing that’s appealing to millennials and Gen Z.
Here’s how Liquid Death compares with other popular water brands:
Fiji Water
A premium bottled water brand sourced from an underground aquifer in Fiji, known for its smooth taste and commitment to environmental sustainability.
Evian
Evian is a renowned French brand of mineral water that originates from the French Alps, celebrated for its pure and natural composition, as well as its elegant and iconic bottle design.
Dasani
A popular bottled water brand owned by The Coca-Cola Company, offering purified water enhanced with minerals for a refreshing and hydrating experience.
Voss
Voss water is a Norwegian brand of bottled water that is known for its sleek and minimalist design. The brand’s water is sourced from a spring in the municipality of Voss, Norway. Voss water is often seen as a premium water brand and is priced accordingly.
Liquid Death
Liquid Death is a unique and unconventional canned water brand that combines a rebellious attitude with crisp and refreshing mountain water, offering a “murder your thirst” hydration experience.
Liquid Death’s packaging is what sets it apart from the competition. The colorful cans plus gothic wordmark logo, eerie skull imagery, and dark humor-filled marketing, make for a unique and edgy brand experience that’s greatly appealing to millennials and Gen Z.
On top of this, its labeling scheme is truly fresh and unapologetically hilarious.
What would you choose amongst: “Berry It Alive”, “Mango Chainsaw”, and “Severed Lime”? 😂
And guess what?
Liquid Death is charging a price premium ($16.99 for 12pk) for this brand experience — that too for selling water.
In addition to its unique packaging, Liquid Death also has a strong commitment to sustainability. The brand’s aluminum cans do away with traditionally bottled water that leads to mass pollution.
Liquid Death is a great example of how a brand can use its packaging to stand out from the competition and connect with its target audience. The on-point, and brand-centric packaging has helped it achieve success in a highly traditional and crowded market.
How did Liquid Death create such a strong brand identity?
Former Netflix Creative Director & Liquid Death founder, Mike Cessario, took inspiration during the 2009 Vans Warped Tour when he noticed his friends substituting water for energy drinks in Monster cans. This experience sparked his idea for creating a brand with humorous, edgy, and authentic branding.
Liquid Death’s marketing is full of dark humor and shock value. The brand’s website features a gothic wordmark logo, and its ads often use dark humor and death imagery to make a point about the importance of drinking water. This may seem like a risky strategy, but it has paid off handsomely.
Why has Liquid Death’s brand identity been so successful?
- Unique and edgy packaging: Liquid Death’s black cans with daring skull graphics and morbid connotations are instantly recognizable and memorable. The brand’s packaging is also a great way to connect with its target audience, millennials and Gen Z, who desire something different that gives them a laugh.
- Dark humor: Liquid Death’s dark humor marketing campaigns effectively capture the attention of its target audience in the competitive bottled water industry, where emphasizing water quality and taste is the norm, making it a standout brand that cuts through the noise.
- Sustainability: Liquid Death is committed to sustainability. The brand’s tallboy cans are recyclable aluminum. This makes Liquid Death a more environmentally friendly choice than bottled water, which is often made from single-use plastic.
- Authenticity: Liquid Death is a genuine brand. The brand’s founder is passionate about their mission to make healthy products also have cheeky branding. This authenticity is evident in the brand’s marketing campaigns and its commitment to sustainability.
How has Liquid Death’s brand identity helped them achieve success?
Liquid Death’s brand identity has played a pivotal role in their remarkable success, enabling them to achieve significant outcomes:
- It’s helped them stand out from the competition. The bottled water market is crowded, and Liquid Death’s unique identity has helped them stand out from the competition.
- It’s helped them build a strong community of fans. Liquid Death’s fans love the brand’s humor and authenticity. They’re more likely to buy the brand’s products and recommend it to their friends.
- It’s helped them generate free media attention. Liquid Death’s marketing often generates controversy, which leads to free media attention. This helps the brand reach a wider audience.
It’s Been A Freaky Tale in Brand Identity
Liquid Death is a great example of how a strong brand identity can help a company achieve success. The brand’s unique approach to design has helped it stand out from the competition, build a strong community of fans, and generate free media attention.
If you’re looking to build a successful brand, Liquid Death is a great example to follow.
Here are some additional tips for creating a strong brand identity:
- Be authentic. People can spot a fake from a mile away. Be genuine about your brand’s mission and values.
- Be memorable. Your brand should stand out from the competition. Use unique colors, fonts, images, and labeling schemes 😂 to create a memorable brand identity.
- Be relevant. Your brand should appeal to your target audience. Use humor, storytelling, and other techniques to connect with your audience on an emotional level.
- Keep it simple, but flexible. It’s essential to strike a balance between simplicity and flexibility, ensuring your brand is easily recognizable yet adaptable to evolving needs and trends.
Consistency is key in building a strong brand identity that drives success. Just like Liquid Death, stick to the right colors, imagery, brand voice, and personality to create a cohesive and memorable brand experience.
By following these guidelines, you’ll establish trust, recognition, and a loyal customer base that truly connects with your brand.
Thanks so much for reading!
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