It is incredibly difficult to find a brand that markets itself through a strong personality without it seeming disingenuous or like they’re trying to hard. And it’s even harder to find a brand that does this with a product that is already boring. There are a few exceptions so lets talk about one of them.
Liquid Death
Liquid Death has grown exponentially over the years, so it’s hard to review this brand through the lens of someone who has not heard of it. But if we imagine ourselves devoid of this knowledge our immediate classification of this can would be perhaps a beer or some kind of mixed drink. Of course, we know that these are simply cans of mineral and sparkling water. Our knee-jerk reaction to the can is precisely why this kind of marketing works for Liquid Death. Take a look at their competitors:
They stand out like a sore thumb.
Other brands focus on a clean and natural look while highlighting the pureness of their product. Liquid Death on the other hand commands your attention with their colors, font choices, and especially their skull graphic. Some people might want their water to look natural, but thats exactly why this kind of branding works in a category filled with “all-natural” waters. It gives Liquid Death an opening to build a following simply by giving the consumers a different option entirely. And there is really no holding them back now that they are breaking into the flavored sparkling water section. But why else are they successful?
Data shows that the current generation of Americans are drinking and smoking less. So this begs the question of what are people enjoying instead when out in public? The answer is of course: Alcohol-imitating beverages. Liquid Death is not deemed a non-alcoholic drink, as its just water, but it certainly takes the place of alcohol by it being something you can hold and sip on! Brands like Athletic and Ghia saw this opening and took advantage. In Liquid Deaths case, they can cater to those who want a different kind of water and those who want to drink something other than beer.