March 28, 2025
ColleenMichaels/Depositphotos.com
Can Liquid Death Shoulder Its Way Into a Crowded ‘Healthy Soda’ Market via Edgy Marketing and Brand Awareness?
Liquid Death has been making headlines for some time now, selling its iconic tall boys of canned water bearing gruesome depictions of skulls alongside a cheeky tagline of “murder your thirst.”
Over the course of the past few years, Liquid Death has set its sights on expanding its product offerings to include iced tea and healthy soda. In an extensive interview with Modern Retail, Marisa Bertha, chief strategy officer at Liquid Death, spoke to the company’s aspirations as it appears set to compete with much larger competitors in a crowded market.
Liquid Death: Flashy CPG, Edgy Product Lines, and Premium Pricing Set Against PepsiCo’s Poppi, Coca-Cola’s Simply, and Olipop
Liquid Death entered the market, and continues to do so, as national competitors started zeroing in on the same segment — one thirsty for “healthier for you” or “gut-friendly” sodas, many featuring low-sugar and prebiotic features. But as Bertha indicated, the initial groundswell of support for Liquid Death gave the company license to enact its initial plan to expand beyond canned water.
“Once the fandom started — not just from consumers, but also retailers and distributors — that gave us the license to expand into flavored sparkling in 2022 and then iced tea in 2023,” Bertha said.
“Of course, we’re also seeing the trends of the modern soda brands,” Bertha said. But as a practical consideration, Liquid Death is instead focused on nailing established and popular flavor profiles. “We’re not going to come to market with a niche flavor, that’s just not our core competency.”
Some of the flavored sparkling water (read: healthier soda) flavors on offer? Severed Lime, Doctor Death, Killer Cola, and Rootbeer Wrath.
According to company data, Liquid Death achieved an all-time-high of $333 million in retail sales for 2024. Whatever one thinks of the heavy metal-inspired brand marketing, it appears to have captured the interest of a substantial consumer audience.
But will that be enough to compete against much larger beverage industry players, particularly Coca-Cola and PepsiCo? PepsiCo recently announced the acquisition of prebiotic soda brand Poppi in a ~$2 billion deal, per Forbes, and Coca-Cola also stated its intention to enter the healthy soda market with the expansion of its popular Simply product lineup (via Simply Pop) to include offerings in the segment.
Liquid Death is seemingly well aware of the challenges posed by competitors: A popup ad asking “Wanna cheat on your other beverage company?” is currently pitched from the company’s website, with those who enter their email being offered two free Liquid Death can coolers (and a promise of further amusing correspondence and promotional deals).
Liquid Death Faces ‘Sea of Competitors’ and Confusion Around its Product Versus Alcoholic Beverages
Drilling down into the proverbial elephant in the room, Modern Retail quoted Anastasia Kaliga, a nutritionist and biologist at Luvly, as saying that “in the sea of better-for-you sodas,” the American consumer is confronted with a panoply of options — begging the question of what, exactly, Liquid Death can do beyond its existing marketing appeals to differentiate itself within that competitive space.
Further, Liquid Death has admitted to having to confront the perception, perhaps gestured toward by its product lineup’s outward appearance and traditional tall boy format, of being an alcohol beverage.
“The whole purpose of our first Super Bowl ad this year was to show that we are not alcohol,” Bertha said. “And to show that you can drink Liquid Death day or night, no matter what your job is.”
With Liquid Death pushing its format out in more conventional six-pack 12-ounce cans at retail distributors and a 12-pack of the same sized cans on Amazon, the company appears poised to appeal to those seeking a lesser price point and bulk buying opportunities, again entering the same space and format as competitors in a significant way — although it is a new channel for Liquid Death versus Coca-Cola and PepsiCo.
Finally, Bertha spoke openly about the size difference between Liquid Death and the established multinationals it was going head-to-head against.
“We have a shoestring marketing budget relative to the beverage giants of the world,” she said.
“People gravitate toward our branding, the entertainment and outsized earned media,” Bertha added.
BrainTrust
David Biernbaum
Founder & President, David Biernbaum & Associates LLC
Paula Rosenblum
Co-founder, RSR Research
Brad Halverson
Principal, Clearbrand CX
Recent Discussions
Discussion Questions
Can Liquid Death successfully compete against PepsiCo and Coca-Cola in the ‘healthy soda’ market? What advantages, and conversely, headwinds does the beverage company face as this market matures?
Will Liquid Death have to abandon, or at least slightly tame or tone down, its edgy marketing tone and brand image in order to appeal to a broader demographic? Does its existing brand image align with its future aims?
Is Liquid Death wise to focus its initial offerings in the flavored sparkling water segment on tried-and-true flavor profiles? What other avenues could the brand pursue in terms of untapped consumer tastes?
Poll
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The beverage market is oversaturated. In water, Liquid Death cut through by unconventional marketing and by having packaging that looked like it was alcohol – that gave it a novelty and cult value. Whether it can repeat this in the healthy soda market remains to be seen – there are so many variants and offerings already on shelf.
I confess to being thoroughly baffled: why in the H*** would you want to name a health drink Liquid Death??? I don’t think it will be remembered as “edgy”, as much as badly, i.e. confusingly, mis-named.
It is possible for Liquid Death to distinguish itself from traditional soda giants by focusing on its distinctive branding and marketing strategies.
Let’s get this out of the way first. As a consumer, I have to admit that I dislike the brand name of this product. The name does not support the idea that the product is healthier and benefits the environment. Consumers may pass right by it without even giving it a second thought.
I will assume from hereon that the brand name is acceptable. With its environmentally friendly packaging and edgy brand image, it can attract health-conscious consumers who are seeking alternatives to sugary beverages.
Additionally, the company may be able to capture a larger market share by forming partnerships with health-focused retailers and expanding its product line to include more innovative flavors.
Keeping your brand image edgy while appealing to a broader demographic can be a challenging task. While the brand risks alienating its core audience by diluting its bold identity, it may also have difficulty attracting more conservative consumers who are turned off by its provocative marketing.
In order to maintain the brand’s core values while evolving to meet the needs of a broader audience, careful messaging and strategic adaptations are required to maintain this tension.
By leveraging its unique brand voice and environmental mission through social media campaigns, Liquid Death would be able to engage younger audiences who place a high priority on sustainability. By collaborating with influencers who promote eco-friendly lifestyles, they may enhance their visibility and credibility.
The brand may also benefit from partnering with or hosting events that reflect its edgy image, including extreme sports competitions, to reinforce its image while reaching out to new customer segments.
This is interesting. Kylie Kelce has a weekly podcast now. Its sponsor is Liquid Death.
Kylie is Jason Kelce’s wife, Travis Kelce’s sister-in-law, and in case you’ve been under a rock….Travis Kelce is Taylor Swift’s beau and everyone around him has caught some of the “spray” from her fame. Including Kylie.
She has been pregnant since the podcast debuted (first episode won the internet, including beating Joe Rogan’s podcast) and Swifties do watch. I think it won a “best new podcast” I Heart Radio award. As it has gone on, her intended audience, which I guess is moms who are not necessarily “soft” (Kylie was a field hockey star and now coaches in for a high school) has settled in and the show still gets solid ratings.
She’s an incredibly good pitchman for someone who has never been professionally trained, and when she drinks down a can of Liquid Death and expresses how refreshing it is even while pregnant, somehow you forget it’s fizzy water! She does mention it also comes in flavored drinks as well (maybe tea? I can’t recall quite….definitely flavored waters). So the fact that a now nine-month pregnant fan favorite is endorsing it and glugging it down can only help the thing.
Her guest this week, for example, was Kelly Clarkson, and her podcast is imminently watchable. Now, do I think that Swifties, young moms and a podcast is enough to propel the brand to success? I have no idea. I don’t put anything past the Swifties,to be honest. And…how many other cans of water (she highlights the “can” part consistently…no plastic) do you remember the name of? I happen to remember St Croix, but that’s because I lived there. And it might have been the OG of canned water.
Long story short? Yes, I think they’re very clever marketers and there’s no doubt it has a shot, even in a crowded market. The product has several hooks. Water named Liquid Death? Seriously? The more logical brand name would have been Liquid Life, but this is a serious diversion from “health.” Just that’s refreshing and even a very, very pregnant mom can drink and enjoy it. It has fascinated me every time I see the podcast.
Yeah, I think it’s got a serious shot.
There is marketing and then there is word of mouth.
I’d pick up a drink called Liquid Death, with its heavy metal branding, before I’d choose a pretty pre-biotic drink that people online are calling “diarrhea soda”.
Liquid Death brilliantly captured attention in the broad water market with its edgy packaging and branded commercials. The irreverence and focus on what it isn’t is what created appeal among its loyal customer base.
But the healthy soda market seems to follow a different path. And if there is still confusion around the Liquid Death brand it means they’ll need to invest in greater brand clarity to compete with players who already have a leg up in sales and market awareness.
This is all about marketing and not about health. Soda, by any measure, is not healthy. The entire prebiotic drink idea is B.S.
Liquid Death isn’t even soda.
Worst name for a product I have seen. Total turn off.
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The beverage market is oversaturated. In water, Liquid Death cut through by unconventional marketing and by having packaging that looked like it was alcohol – that gave it a novelty and cult value. Whether it can repeat this in the healthy soda market remains to be seen – there are so many variants and offerings already on shelf.
I confess to being thoroughly baffled: why in the H*** would you want to name a health drink Liquid Death??? I don’t think it will be remembered as “edgy”, as much as badly, i.e. confusingly, mis-named.
It is possible for Liquid Death to distinguish itself from traditional soda giants by focusing on its distinctive branding and marketing strategies.
Let’s get this out of the way first. As a consumer, I have to admit that I dislike the brand name of this product. The name does not support the idea that the product is healthier and benefits the environment. Consumers may pass right by it without even giving it a second thought.
I will assume from hereon that the brand name is acceptable. With its environmentally friendly packaging and edgy brand image, it can attract health-conscious consumers who are seeking alternatives to sugary beverages.
Additionally, the company may be able to capture a larger market share by forming partnerships with health-focused retailers and expanding its product line to include more innovative flavors.
Keeping your brand image edgy while appealing to a broader demographic can be a challenging task. While the brand risks alienating its core audience by diluting its bold identity, it may also have difficulty attracting more conservative consumers who are turned off by its provocative marketing.
In order to maintain the brand’s core values while evolving to meet the needs of a broader audience, careful messaging and strategic adaptations are required to maintain this tension.
By leveraging its unique brand voice and environmental mission through social media campaigns, Liquid Death would be able to engage younger audiences who place a high priority on sustainability. By collaborating with influencers who promote eco-friendly lifestyles, they may enhance their visibility and credibility.
The brand may also benefit from partnering with or hosting events that reflect its edgy image, including extreme sports competitions, to reinforce its image while reaching out to new customer segments.
This is interesting. Kylie Kelce has a weekly podcast now. Its sponsor is Liquid Death.
Kylie is Jason Kelce’s wife, Travis Kelce’s sister-in-law, and in case you’ve been under a rock….Travis Kelce is Taylor Swift’s beau and everyone around him has caught some of the “spray” from her fame. Including Kylie.
She has been pregnant since the podcast debuted (first episode won the internet, including beating Joe Rogan’s podcast) and Swifties do watch. I think it won a “best new podcast” I Heart Radio award. As it has gone on, her intended audience, which I guess is moms who are not necessarily “soft” (Kylie was a field hockey star and now coaches in for a high school) has settled in and the show still gets solid ratings.
She’s an incredibly good pitchman for someone who has never been professionally trained, and when she drinks down a can of Liquid Death and expresses how refreshing it is even while pregnant, somehow you forget it’s fizzy water! She does mention it also comes in flavored drinks as well (maybe tea? I can’t recall quite….definitely flavored waters). So the fact that a now nine-month pregnant fan favorite is endorsing it and glugging it down can only help the thing.
Her guest this week, for example, was Kelly Clarkson, and her podcast is imminently watchable. Now, do I think that Swifties, young moms and a podcast is enough to propel the brand to success? I have no idea. I don’t put anything past the Swifties,to be honest. And…how many other cans of water (she highlights the “can” part consistently…no plastic) do you remember the name of? I happen to remember St Croix, but that’s because I lived there. And it might have been the OG of canned water.
Long story short? Yes, I think they’re very clever marketers and there’s no doubt it has a shot, even in a crowded market. The product has several hooks. Water named Liquid Death? Seriously? The more logical brand name would have been Liquid Life, but this is a serious diversion from “health.” Just that’s refreshing and even a very, very pregnant mom can drink and enjoy it. It has fascinated me every time I see the podcast.
Yeah, I think it’s got a serious shot.
There is marketing and then there is word of mouth.
I’d pick up a drink called Liquid Death, with its heavy metal branding, before I’d choose a pretty pre-biotic drink that people online are calling “diarrhea soda”.
Liquid Death brilliantly captured attention in the broad water market with its edgy packaging and branded commercials. The irreverence and focus on what it isn’t is what created appeal among its loyal customer base.
But the healthy soda market seems to follow a different path. And if there is still confusion around the Liquid Death brand it means they’ll need to invest in greater brand clarity to compete with players who already have a leg up in sales and market awareness.
This is all about marketing and not about health. Soda, by any measure, is not healthy. The entire prebiotic drink idea is B.S.
Liquid Death isn’t even soda.
Worst name for a product I have seen. Total turn off.