How 'distrust of corporate marketing' inspires Liquid Death's zany partnerships

Canned beverage brand Liquid Death’s “hatred” of marketing has inspired celebrity and influencer partnerships in recent years, according to VP of marketing Greg Fass. 

“We kind of have this deep distrust of corporate marketing,” Fass said. “Everything we put out needs to in some way make fun of marketing or be pure entertainment or comedy.”

Liquid Death looks for celebrities and potential brand ambassadors that embody its guiding principles. The result is content such as skateboards infused with Tony Hawk’s blood and a satirical 10-minute workout video with comedian Bert Kreischer. 

The company hasn’t slowed down in 2023. In late January, Liquid Death introduced its “most brutal ambassador ever:” the Godmother of Drumming Dorothea Taylor. Just this week, it debuted a line of iced tea products, accompanied by a group of heavy metal-playing grandmas. 

“We want to work with people that you think are unexpected for a brand called Liquid Death,” Frass said. “We just like to have fun with this perception of who [our] customer is; it’s not just tattooed metalheads, it’s gamers, moms and skateboarders. It really runs the gamut.” 

The brand also works with influencers, adopting the same playfulness in those efforts. Most recently, it tapped V Flow, Joe Mele and Lili Hayes for support on TikTok for its iced tea launch. 

“Whether it’s content creator [work] or a feature length horror film that we produce ourselves, we take each piece of content just as seriously,” Frass added. 

Liquid Death’s unique strategy appears to be paying off. In October, the company was reported to be nearing $1 billion in valuation, and investor Peter Pham said it’s beginning to “lay the groundwork” for an IPO. 

Moxie Communications serves as Liquid Death’s PR AOR, managing media relations.