ys You Can Copy Liquid Death’s Marketing Blueprint //

There’s only one brand that has appeared more in our #inspiration channel than any other in the past five years: The Liquid Deathspan size=”font weight: 400 ;”>. Water has been making waves in marketing by telling an amazing brand story.

We’ve said it before, story is your last competitive advantage. But becoming an expert in brand storytelling requires time. It’s impressive how quickly Liquid Death became the GOAT. The brand was only launched in 2019. )

How did this punk water brand reach a valuation of $700 million in just five years? We’re going to break down their marketing strategy so you can be a master of marketing like Liquid Death.

Let’s begin with a brief overview.

The Liquid Death Brand Story

Mike Cessario is a graphic designer, marketer and entrepreneur who created Liquid Death to offer a healthier option to the energy and alcohol drinks that were prevalent in the music venues where he grew up. He wanted to create a brand of water that people wouldn’t feel embarrassed to use on stage or to nurse while walking around at a music festival. He wanted to create a brand that people would be proud to bring on stage (or nurse as they walk around a music festival).

After creating a hilarious and irreverent test advertisement for the concept that went viral, he launched Liquid Death. Since then, the brand has grown into a beast in the beverage industry.

Cessario’s path was not perfect but it was clear and they had the brand skills to carry it out. Here are five ways you can follow Cessario.

1) Keep your mission in the middle of your story.

Brand heart is the most important component in any successful brand (aka vision, purpose, mission and values). Many brands don’t really have a brand heart or they aren’t able to follow through with it.

Liquid death has always had a mission and message that is clear: “Our evil goal is to make the people laugh, and encourage them to drink healthier beverages more frequently, while also helping to reduce plastic pollution.

Liquid Death’s #deathtoplastic campaign is a call to action, unlike many other brands who bury the mission of their brand on their About page. From their aluminum can packaging, to their marketing messages and even things like this demented toy ad for “Cutie polluties”, stuffed animals that have been harmed by the plastic in the ocean )., everything they do is to further their mission.

We see B2B marketing make the mistake of telling a convoluted or complicated story. Liquid Death’s simple mission allows it to streamline its story and push boundaries of creativity without straying away from their core message.

They have created a cult-like following by putting their mission in the forefront. These supporters share similar values and consume products to support them.

You can use compelling stories to help people connect to your brand mission. See our guide on how to master brand storytelling across all channels.

You can get ideas from other brands and industries.

Liquid death took inspiration from beer companies right away. Liquid Death’s success has been attributed to treating it like a beer brand, from the can design that was heavily metal-inspired to the marketing messages that were loud and clear.

Initially, investors were skeptical about this strategy, because it was so different from other drinks on the market. Cessario was confident in the angle and it worked. The brand was so successful in the market, it literally blew away the competition.

As the brand grows, it continues the party monster spirit of beer companies. Their new sparkling water line, for example, features flavors such as Convicted Melon.

Brands need to stand out in the B2B market, which is becoming more competitive and commodityized. One of the best methods to stand out is by zipping where your competitors zag. Consider the key elements of your story, whether it is your visual identity or brand personality, website, explainer videos, etc., and look for ways to stand out.

You can get inspiration from unexpected places. Drew Hoffman, SentinelOne’s VP of Brand, said that he gets his marketing ideas from film directors. Here are five things that you can also learn from film directors.

Cessario, as well as his Vice President of Marketing Greg Fass, have both expressed their disdain towards marketing in general. Their counterculture roots are a great asset, as they push the brand in ways that surpass anything a conventional water brand would do.

You don’t usually think of water brands when you consider an edgy brand. Liquid Death turned this idea on its head, added a tattoo, and two piercings in order to push the envelopes and boundaries of creativity.

Their marketing tricks are always making headlines in keeping with the badass image of heavy metal.

• They created limited edition skateboards that were infused with Tony Hawk’s blood.
• The album is called Greatest Hates Volume. 3.
• They created an Enemy of the State enema kit with Travis Barker in honor of Blink-182’s Enemy of the State anniversary album.

How do these people come up with such wild ideas? Cessario said on NPR’s Marketplace that “we think of our marketing team as Saturday Night Live.” We’re an entertainment machine, and we constantly try to make our products on par with an SNL sketch.

These stunts might be a bit much for B2B brands, but B2B marketing does not have to be boring. Your brand can be portrayed in a variety of ways.

• 
  Use humor.
  
• 
  Make fun of an industry trope. Make fun of a trope in your industry.
  
• 
  Make the small stuff (like CTAs or emails) entertaining.
  

Try these tips to spice up your marketing.

4) Experiment a ton.

Liquid death’s never-ending experimentation with marketing is impressive. They are not only pushing the limits of marketing, but also experimenting in new ways. The brand always tries something new, whether it’s content, in-person events or additional revenue streams. This willingness to try new things has helped them stay relevant and connected with the zeitgeist.

• The Murder Head Death Club launched their NFT club with 6,666 NFTs, which were sold out within three hours.
• The Liquid Death Country Club is inviting you to “sell” your soul for special rewards.
• In 2021, the span size=”font-weight 400 ;”>. merchandise line will generate $3 million.

What other water brand would create a nightlight which sells out so many times?

The ability to create value (and new revenue streams) by experimenting with wild ideas is what gives them cachet, and a real ROI. A standard marketing campaign cannot do that.

This type of experimentation is not limited to B2B. Mailchimp, for example, produces podcasts and museum exhibits. It also offers workplace wellness tools.

Tip: To break out of a slump, you must experiment. But it is important to do so with the knowledge that your efforts can be measured. Use our guide on how to select and use the best content marketing metrics.

5) Select the correct language.

Liquid Death has a bold, brash name that perfectly represents this brand. They are able to inject personality into every piece of content, often through rich and evocative words.

• 
  The tagline of their website encourages users to “Murder Your Thirst.”
  
• They have a page called “Timewaster 5000”, where they invite you to watch all the dumb things they’ve made.
• 
  With them you don’t get points, but “skulls.”
  
• 
  Their email signup page encourages “to be brainwashed Liquid Death through hilarious (but rare) emails.”
  

The level of creativity and attention to detail shows how intentional the brand really is.

You need to have a distinct and clear brand voice in order to master your language. Discover your personality and voice with our guide. Use these tips to inject more emotion into your marketing.

How To Become A Better Brand

There are many ways B2B marketing can have an impact on their industry, even if you do not sell hip water.

• Be human. Many B2B (especially tech) marketers forget that they are talking to people behind screens. Use these tips for to create emotionally-driven content. Make sure to create human-centric marketing campaigns and not company-centric ones.
• Put the focus on trust. The reason Liquid Death has been so successful is because their customers know what to expect from them, every time. They cultivate trust through their consistent brand voice and clear message. Use these suggestions to build trust between your brand and audience .
• Simplify the buyer journey. The best way to destroy your brand is by creating a buyer journey that’s too complicated. Learn to simplify and streamline to create a more user-friendly experience that will increase conversions.

You can improve your marketing by educating yourself. Subscribe to our The Best Story Wins Podcast, where we interview marketing professionals about how they win hearts, minds and market share.

If you’re looking for a partner who can help you tell the story of your brand, you can find out about how we have helped other brands achieve their goals. You can also visit our FAQs page to learn more or contact us. We would love to help your business have a Liquid-Death-level impact.

The post Five Ways to Copy Liquid death’s Marketing Blueprint first appeared on column five.

Author: Katy French