Thread by @GrowthTactics

"When you market to everyone, you market to no one."

No brand lives this better than Liquid Death.

Here's why this canned water company is valued at $525 million 🧵

First things first, here's what makes @LiquidDeath's actual product different:

• Its water comes from the Alps. Most bottled water companies use municipal tap water.

• It comes in recyclable tall boy cans.

But branding is what really sets Liquid Death apart. Its edgy and ironic image is the total opposite of traditional water companies:

• Dark brand colors
• Lots of skull imagery
• PG-13 humor (think sex jokes and cartoon violence)

For example, check out its about page.

Why this branding?

“All the unhealthy brands were doing the coolest, funniest, more irreverent marketing. We thought it would be interesting to take the healthiest thing you can possibly drink—which is water—and one-up the unhealthy stuff.”

–founder Mike @Cessario

To test this unusual brand image early on, Cessario:

• shot a 90-second teaser video that cost $1.5k
• made a Facebook page
• spent a couple thousand on ads

Within 4 months, the video got 3 million views and more Facebook followers than Aquafina.

After raising funding, @LiquidDeath began selling online in Jan 2019. It also partnered with bars and tattoo parlors—the only places willing to carry its product early on.

Eventually Whole Foods started stocking Liquid Death. Then Target and 7-Eleven.

Now 29k+ stores carry it.

Liquid Death's branding speaks to a distinct niche: metal/punk fans, artists, and skateboarders.

A few of its campaigns:

• A vinyl album of songs made of negative customer reviews
• Stuffed animals mutilated by plastic
• A workout video featuring @bertkreischer

You can find all of Liquid Death's weird content on its site. That includes a baby name generator giving suggestions like "Darklord Doombringer."

...Ever visit Dasani or Aquafina's website?

Didn't think so.

Liquid Death isn't for everyone.

It's spiky. Irreverent. But it's not meaningless.

Its mission: to kill plastic. That's why 10% of profits go to ocean cleanup.

Many ads promote this cause. Ex: A video ad featuring porn star Cherie DeVille saying "Don't f*** the planet."

Liquid Death is more than a canned water company—it's a lifestyle brand.

Customer loyalty is so high that 50%+ buying it online also buy its merchandise: apparel, skateboards, pet toys, and more.

120+people have even gotten tattoos of its logo.

Three ingredients to Liquid Death's success:

1️⃣ Unique product (canned water)
2️⃣ Compelling mission (reduce plastic pollution)
3️⃣ Unconventional branding (loud, edgy image)

Note: 3️⃣ enhances the first two. Without its branding, Liquid Death might not have been so successful.

How do you apply this to your company?

• Look for a new angle to your product/niche.
• Target a subculture.
• Go in the opposite direction of the competition.
• Find a larger mission for your biz.
• Tie that mission to your branding.

Sources: @modernretail @Eater @freethinkmedia

modernretail.co/startups/cult-…

eater.com/22814834/liqui…

Want to learn more about how branding can boost your business?

We cover that + other examples here:

demandcurve.com/blog/brand-mar…

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