The Best Things in Life are Free... And Branding Made it Worth $300 Billion

Luna Guo
May 28
3 min read

Water is (nearly) free in first world countries--just a fraction of a cent per gallon straight from the tap. But branding? Branding made water a $300 billion industry.

For convenience, status, identity, and possibly some small differences in nutritional content, bottled water sells for multitudes more. In recent years, no brand embodies that transformation more audaciously than Liquid Death.

This is a story about how branding doesn't just sell a product; it creates a niche and reframes reality.

The original magic trick: Branding bottled water

Before we get to Liquid Death, let’s zoom out a little and take a look at the history of bottled water in general. How did we get here?

The earliest documentation of water being bottled and sold goes back to the 17th and 18th centuries. Those waters were often from specific sources, where people believed there were therapeutic or health benefits. In the 19th century, bottled water was often seen as a safer alternative to municipal water supplies, which were prone to contamination. But when tap water safety improved in the 1900s, bottled water consumption actually experienced a decline. By the 1970s, bottled water was somewhat rare, mostly for health-conscious Europeans.

Then in 1977, Perrier launched a major marketing campaign that put bottled water back on the US map. The campaign elevated their water as not just a commodity, but a sophisticated status symbol. It was a fizzy, classy alternative to alcohol.

By the 1990s, bottled water exploded in the US thanks to some large brands, each evoking unique emotions. The pitch? Purity, prestige, and performance, even if the water was essentially just filtered tap water. Each brand began to carve out a niche for themselves:

Evian: French Alps chic
Fiji: Artesian origins, exotic
Smartwater: Scientific wellness
Dasani (Coca-Cola): Convenience & trust in a giant name

Through brands, water began to represent more than just thirst quenching.

Enter Liquid Death: The punk rock of bottled water

In 2019, a new player showed up with tallboy cans, flaming skulls, and a slogan that read like metal band lyrics. The idea? Take a boring product historically associated with status and wellness, wrap it in the most unhinged brand personality possible, and sell it to a new generation allergic to virtue signaling and polished wellness.

How did Liquid Death position themselves?

It starts with their name. Instantly polarizing, and impossible to ignore. The bold packaging looks like beer and feels rebellious, snagging attention on any fridge or shelf. Paired with over-the-top humor and plastic-free, environmentally conscious values, the brand instantly resonated with their millennial and gen z audiences.

It's a story that sounds familiar, but with a twist: Liquid Death is the modern revolution to bottled water, like Perrier was in the 1970s. Instead of classy, Liquid Death embraces the new generation of people who wanted something non-alcoholic but still signals cool. And this generation wants personality and purpose!

The results speak for themselves.

As of March 2024, Liquid Death is valued at $1.4 billion, and are widely distributed across major retailers. Their product isn't necessarily anything different, but their values are emphatically communicated and embraced, leading to a whole culture around their core. Their blend of edgy humor and meme-worthy content has attracted a passionate fan base that lives the brand, not just drinks it.

Liquid Death found a white space to position bottled water: from clean and healthy to loud and dangerous.

Key Lessons

So what are some key branding lessons we can learn from a case study like Liquid Death?

Category inversion works. If your space is saturated with one type of thinking--in this case, purity and polish--shaking up the category by being the complete opposite--chaos and humor--can be successful.
Packaging is powerful. The can itself is your biggest billboard. It's the first thing that consumers will see, and it's the impression that will be etched in their minds. It turns heads, sparks photos, and drives word of mouth.
The product is fine, but the brand is what makes it amazing. Sometimes, you don't need anything incredibly special with your product. It just needs to deliver on the promise--in this case, quenching thirst. The brand is where the magic--and the value--happens.

Liquid Death is a masterclass in modern branding. It reminds us that the product is only the beginning. What people are really buying is a story they want to be part of, and that's where the brand takes off.

In that story, even water can rock alongside of beer and energy drinks.