Liquid Death Partners with Brands to Create Striking Marketing Campaigns

LOS ANGELES, CA — Liquid Death, the canned beverage brand, is making waves in the marketing world through its unusual partnerships with diverse brands. As they ramp up collaborations, dozens of marketers are eager to join forces, according to Dan Murphy, the brand’s Senior Vice President of Marketing.

Since its launch in 2018, Liquid Death has attracted a dedicated fanbase, earning over a billion media impressions each month. Recently, they teamed up with brands like Yahoo Sports, Sheetz, and Depends, creating campaigns that feature outlandish concepts such as a guillotine league and chainsawed sandwiches.

“We hope to be one of the better things in your feed,” Murphy told Marketing Brew. He claims to have around 73 brand partnership requests currently in his inbox. While traditional collaborations are common, Liquid Death is known for its unique sense of humor and creativity.

Murphy describes Liquid Death as akin to a Saturday Night Live stage, emphasizing that brands partner with them to tap into a fresh audience. With 7 million followers on TikTok and 7.3 million on Instagram, Liquid Death boasts a significant social media presence. “We are very much an influencer,” Murphy added.

To maintain its mission of creating memorable partnerships, Liquid Death’s in-house team contributes to the creative side of each collaboration. Typically, brand partners cover the production and marketing costs. When selecting partners, alignment in creative goals is paramount.

Ryan Sheetz, executive vice president of marketing at Sheetz, underscored this sentiment, stating, “We have a lot in common, right? Both very bold brands… who really like to have a lot of fun.” In late July, the duo hosted an event allowing 150 patrons in Cranberry, Pennsylvania, to get their sandwiches chainsawed in half, raising eyebrows and excitement alike.

This innovative approach required extensive planning, including safety measures and the use of food-safe blades. Sheetz remarked, “I learned a lot about chainsaws that I never thought I would need to know.”

Jeremy Ekes, VP of client strategy at January Digital, praised Liquid Death for its reputation for audacious partnerships, stating, “There are probably few and far between in the industry,” that share this bold creative sensibility. He argues that Liquid Death’s daring nature allows it to stand out in a congested marketplace.

As Liquid Death continues to grow its brand awareness, Murphy indicated the importance of communicating the product’s benefits. Many consumers still mistakenly believe Liquid Death is an energy drink or beer, necessitating enhanced messaging around the true nature of its offerings.

“We found we had this great awareness number,” Murphy explained. “But at least a third of those people still thought we were a beer or maybe an energy drink, so we had to work a little harder to make sure that message comes through.”

As Liquid Death moves forward with its unconventional marketing strategies, it seems poised to challenge the status quo of branding and advertising.