In the competitive world of marketing, Liquid Death has revolutionized the industry with its bold and creative approach. Andy Pearson, the brand’s VP Creative, and his team have shown that health and sustainability can be fun and seen from other perspectives, just as they did with something as everyday as water. In charting their way forward, the main thing was to be very clear about what their key objective was going to be: to reduce the use of plastics and encourage never-before-seen advertising that challenged the conventional norms of advertising work. All of us at Comunidad24, the bi-annual summit of Worldwide Partners, entered the conference room with the same question: How did they achieve this?
Liquid Death is a clear example of how taking risks and not settling for the sure thing can make any product (really any product) a resounding success. Pearson raises an interesting question in his narrative about the marketing and success behind Liquid Death, its beginnings stem from the following questions: What would happen if we presented something healthy as if it were not healthy? Thinking outside the box, and really doing it outside it, is one of the tips we got from talking to Andy.
With questions like this, which seem almost contradictory, they positioned themselves where they are today. Moreover, their strategy also lies in the surprise and bewilderment in the public’s reactions, which make them say “What am I seeing? I need to take a picture of it and share it with the world.” Appealing for an organic cycle of consumer impact.
Talking to Andy, he shared with us that humor is his solid foundation to find a balance of originality without alienating the audience. For him, humor is fundamental because behind every joke there is a brutal and honest truth, and that is why we connect. His strategy is based on targeting people who not only want a drink of water but also appreciate a sense of humor. It has been so successful that we will now be able to see Liquid Death as part of an animated series directed by Adult Swim’s Will Carsola, an impressive leap in reaching different audiences in a connected way.
Andy Pearson understands that no one wants to see ads, let alone boring ads, so he emphasizes the importance of treating the audience with respect, tailoring the content to what they honestly want to see. Using comedy, as complicated as it can be, is an essential tool in addition to the learning that comes from testing small ideas rather than betting everything on big 360º campaigns.
Liquid Death follows a simple but powerful rule: “What would Liquid Death do?” This authenticity is reflected in their marketing, which doesn’t look too much at the market, but relies much more on what the team enjoys and finds authentic. Pearson is betting on marketing that stems from personal desire, exploring new ways unimaginable for advertising.
The questions we are left with after hearing such a broad and novel outlook born in Liquid Death are whether the bold, ironic and disruptive can really be applied to a wide range of possibilities in the industry or, failing that, how creatives might draw on this distinct narrative to apply it to their specific projects.
Liquid Death is certainly more than a brand; it’s a “malevolent” plan to make the world healthier and more sustainable, combining innovation, humor and a touch of irreverence to change the rules of the game in modern marketing.
And you as a creative, would you also dare to take these risks?
