And the worst thing is that we don't actually mind that much.
When you think about it, bottled water is party to some of the most ludicrous branding there is. Guys, it's just water; the same stuff that comes out of your taps, and you're paying a premium for it because it comes in a pretty bottle with an on-trend palette. You idiots.
So our initial reaction to the launch of a frankly preposterous new brand of water, complete with matching packaging design, was just a little jaundiced. There's so much to hate about Liquid Death. For starters, it's called Liquid Death. It comes in a can that makes it look like some kind of cheap and nasty energy drink. There's a horrible cartoon to promote it. Also, it's called Liquid Death; we realise we've already mentioned that but we felt it needed emphasising. Liquid. Death.
It's by far the stupidest piece of branding we've seen in quite a while, and somehow we've come to love it. Liquid Death is the brainchild of an unlikely foursome, comprised of Mike Cessario, whose background is in advertising and marketing, a heavy metal bartender called Pat Cook, manufacturing expert JR Riggins and animator Will Carsola, best known for Adult Swim's Mr Pickles.
Together they conceived a plan to tear a strip off bottled water marketing clichés and instead create a water brand that's as stupid and entertaining as branding for less healthy drinks such as energy drinks and beer.
If your thirst needs murdering then you know where to come. Image: Liquid Death
It's fair to say they've succeeded; Liquid Death is spectacularly over-the-top, without so much as a hint of subtlety to it. And while the brand identity is unashamedly thick as mince, the packaging is a stroke of eco-genius.
By putting its water in an aluminium can, Liquid Death is instantly a lot more environmentally friendly than every water brand that puts out its product in a plastic bottle; Liquid Death points out that aluminium cans are far and away the most sustainable beverage container by virtually every measure. In your face, Evian.
You can order your own Liquid Death right now, but do bear in mind that it's just water. Image: Liquid Death
So stupid that it's actually pretty brilliant, Liquid Death has already attracted the right sort of attention; according to Business Insider, it's just raised $1.6 million in fresh seed funding. And if you want to taste some of that delicious Liquid Death for yourself (spoilers: it's just water), it's available to order online now.
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Jim McCauley is a writer, performer and cat-wrangler who started writing professionally way back in 1995 on PC Format magazine, and has been covering technology-related subjects ever since, whether it's hardware, software or videogames. A chance call in 2005 led to Jim taking charge of Computer Arts' website and developing an interest in the world of graphic design, and eventually led to a move over to the freshly-launched Creative Bloq in 2012. Jim now works as a freelance writer for sites including Creative Bloq, T3 and PetsRadar, specialising in design, technology, wellness and cats, while doing the occasional pantomime and street performance in Bath and designing posters for a local drama group on the side.
