The Rebel Brand Making Waves in Bottled Water

As a brand on a mission to challenge the status quo of the saturated bottled water market, Liquid Death certainly understands the changing needs of their Gen Z target audience. 

Despite offering a product that, on its own, is nothing revolutionary, Liquid Death has tapped into the cultural zeitgeist by adopting a heavy metal-inspired aesthetic and embracing a unique brand voice through a name that makes you think twice before continuing down the bottled water aisle. 

Branding in the bottled water category more or less follows the formula: 

Source Location ➕ Purity ➕ Packaging Sustainability = Product you can’t live without 

Conversely, Liquid Death takes a deliberate departure from the conventional tropes of bottled water marketing that we’re all familiar with. They are a company on an

"evil mission to make people laugh and get more of them to drink more healthy beverages more often, all while helping to kill plastic pollution."

It’s ironic that they describe themselves as a funny beverage company that hates corporate marketing, all while being masters at creating a cult brand through this unique brand voice and unconventional media strategies. 

While traditional water bottles may be the go-to choice for workout sessions, Liquid Death has carved a niche for itself by appealing to a different lifestyle and mindset. Liquid Death’s core market is live-entertainment attendees, which is reflected in its unique packaging which allows it to blend seamlessly into social gatherings and parties. Indeed, that’s the only time in which I’ve ever bought a can of Liquid death. Another fun fact? The US’s biggest live-event company has literally bought in to Liquid Death’s ethos. Live Nation Entertainment is one of Liquid Death’s longtime investors and has participated in the company’s latest funding round.

Liquid Death's focus on environmental sustainability, paired with a rebellious brand image, has made it a product that consumers can't ignore. Clearly, with this most recent $67 million funding round, investors and distributors can't ignore it either.