Liquid Death

In 2009, Mike Cessario was just another ad guy. He'd spent years crafting campaigns for big brands, but something nagged at him. Why were all the "cool" products so bad for you?

"I kept thinking, why can't we make healthy stuff cool?" Cessario recalls.

The idea stuck. Fast forward to 2019, and Cessario was ready to take a shot. With just $1,500 in hand, he created a mock-up video for "Liquid Death" - canned water with punk rock vibes.

Crazy? Yep. But it worked.

The video went viral, racking up millions of views. Suddenly, Cessario had proof of concept. No product, but a whole lot of interest.

"We knew we were onto something," he says. "People were hungry for a brand that didn't take itself so seriously."

With that initial buzz, Cessario scraped together $150,000 from friends and family. Enough to produce the first run of Liquid Death cans.

They sold out in a month.

But early success doesn't mean smooth sailing. Investors balked at the idea of "extreme" water. Retailers were skeptical. And let's face it, the name "Liquid Death" isn't exactly subtle.

"We heard 'no' a lot," Cessario admits. "But we believed in what we were doing."

The turning point came in 2020. Liquid Death secured $9 million in Series A funding. It was validation. Cash to scale. A chance to prove the doubters wrong.

And scale they did. Liquid Death expanded beyond its direct-to-consumer roots, landing deals with Whole Foods and other major retailers. Their irreverent marketing - like selling skateboards infused with Tony Hawk's blood - kept people talking.

By 2021, Liquid Death was in over 29,000 stores across the US. Revenue hit $45 million. Not bad for canned water.

But success breeds competition. Big beverage companies took notice. Copycats emerged. Liquid Death faced a classic startup dilemma: how to maintain momentum and fend off deeper-pocketed rivals?

Their answer? Double down on what made them different.

"We're not just selling water," Cessario explains. "We're selling an experience, a mindset. That's harder to copy."

They expanded into sparkling water and tea. Launched merchandise that became collector's items. Partnered with music festivals and extreme sports events. The brand became a lifestyle.

The numbers tell the story. In 2022, Liquid Death's retail sales jumped to $130 million. By 2023, that figure had doubled to $263 million.

Today, Liquid Death is valued at $1.4 billion. From a $1,500 video to unicorn status in just five years.

But Cessario isn't resting on his laurels. "We're just getting started," he insists. "There's still so much room to grow, to push boundaries."

The Liquid Death story is a testament to the power of branding, of zigging when others zag. It's proof that sometimes, the "dumbest" idea can be the smartest move.

"At the end of the day," Cessario reflects, "we're having fun. And we're making people laugh while they hydrate. That's pretty cool."

Not bad for a can of water.

Lessons

Lesson 1: Embrace the absurd. You're selling water. Plain, simple water. But instead of going the typical route of serene mountain springs and health-conscious messaging, you slap a skull on the can and call it "Liquid Death." It's ridiculous. It's attention-grabbing. It works. Mike Cessario explains, "We knew we were onto something when people started asking, 'Is this real?'" The absurdity creates buzz, gets people talking. It's marketing that doesn't feel like marketing.

Lesson 2: Test before you invest. Before sinking money into production, Cessario created a mock-up video for $1,500. It went viral, providing proof of concept. "We had proof of concept," he recalls. "No product, but a whole lot of interest." This lean approach allowed Liquid Death to validate its idea without risking significant capital. Smart.

Lesson 3: Create artificial scarcity. Liquid Death regularly releases limited edition products and merchandise, tapping into the collector's mentality. "We want our fans to feel like they're part of an exclusive club," says Cessario. This strategy not only drives sales but also creates a sense of urgency and loyalty among customers. It's a tactic rarely seen in the water industry, but common in streetwear and sneaker culture.

Lesson 4: Make entertainment, not ads. You're not in the water business. You're in the entertainment business. Cessario says, "Anyone can make an ad, but few can make a hit comedy." So you hire comedy writers, not ad copywriters. You create viral videos, not commercials. Your Super Bowl stunt? Auctioning off ad space on your cans instead of buying a TV spot. It got more attention than most multi-million dollar ads. And it cost you $10,000.

Lesson 5: Scale fast, but smartly. Once Liquid Death proved its concept, it moved quickly to secure funding and expand. "We needed to create 'escape velocity'," Cessario explains. This rapid scaling prevented copycats from stealing their thunder. But they did it strategically, partnering with investors who understood their unique approach. Speed and smarts.

Lesson 6: Use packaging as your billboard. Liquid Death turned its cans into powerful marketing tools. Instead of relying on traditional advertising, the company leveraged its packaging to grab attention. "Our cans are our biggest media asset," Cessario explains. "They're like little billboards that people carry around." This strategy not only saved on marketing costs but also created a viral effect as consumers became walking advertisements.

Articles & Future Readings:

• Liquid Death and the Nonsense of Packaged Water | The New Yorker
• Liquid Death: the viral canned water brand killing it with gen Z | The Guardian
• Liquid Death's Billion-Dollar Valuation Stresses The Power Of Brand | Forbes
• Of Course America Fell for Liquid Death | The Atlantic
• About Us - Liquid Death
• Liquid Death Marketing Breakdown: How They Became a Billion Dollar Brand | OptiMonk
• The Brand Story: Liquid Death | MarcomCentral