Liquid Death, an ‘edgy’ or ‘cringy’ (depending on your personal perspective) canned water brand made big waves when it launched in the US six years ago. In fact, it still is. In the UK however, it’s quietly sunk without a trace and has now been forced to exit the market with its tail between its legs.
In the US, commentators fawned over the company’s punky, anti-system, ‘stick it to the man’ branding and angry anti-plastic messaging. It was credited in many marketing circles as being a masterclass in the power of bold marketing to rapidly build a successful brand, shake up a whole category and grab market share – much to the disdain of Mark Ritson.
But while it has wildly successful across the pond, it never got going over here. There’s a lesson in that.
And that is: what works in one market may not translate well to another. Even if the initial market is the US. Actually, sometimes ESPECIALLY if the origin market is the US.
A US institution
Liquid Death’s US success was built on a unique combination of humour, irreverence, and sustainability. It featured heavy metal aesthetics and slogans like “Murder Your Thirst”. Americans loved it. For them, it oozed countercultural appeal and eco-friendly creds.
It didn’t hit quite the same in the UK. A key issue was cultural differences. Or more particularly, ignoring cultural differences.
Firstly. The UK’s bottled water market is highly competitive and mature, with established brands like Highland Spring and Evian dominating the space. We also have drinkable and fairly tasty tap water. So largely we’re happy with what we’ve got here and there is less potential for disruption.
In combination with that, Liquid Death’s unconventional approach, which worked so well in the US, failed to stand out in the UK market. Many people simply didn’t get what it was – the energy drink vibes went too far.
If people want an energy drink, they’ll get that. If they want water, they’ll go down the water aisle and get something that looks natural and healthy and of provenance. The twine rarely meets. Why would you want to buy an oversized can of something that looks like it’s full of sugar, caffeine and chemicals when you want to show the world you treat your body like a temple?
Likewise, the brand’s humour and tone might have felt fresh and rebellious in the US, but it came across as a bit try-hard or even alienating to UK sensibilities. ‘Murder Head Death Club’ NFTs? Guys, you’re literally selling water.
So, Liquid Death came in to disrupt a category that didn’t really need disrupting and did it with a look, feel and attitude that came across a bit like a sulky teenager to British audiences.
A sustainable footing?
Next, let’s look at its sustainability mission.
Liquid Death may have thought it was shaking up an antiquated, wasteful segment by calling out a lack of sustainability in the bottled water market. And perhaps it was in the US; but the UK market has long been ahead of the curve when it comes to environmental awareness.
Mintel has highlighted, for example, that around half British consumers find sustainable packaging to be an important part of drinks packaging design. In turn, this has forced bottled water producers to get ahead of the game in moving away from plastic bottles in a bid to capture a sustainable market.
As a society, we are voting with our pockets on sustainability already, and manufacturers are listening and adapting. We don’t need a US company that didn’t exist a decade ago barging in and telling us we’ve been doing it wrong this whole time.
And (sorry to mention how the brand looks again, but it’s really important) the whole message versus aesthetic just jarred from a sustainability perspective.
Liquid Death simply struggled to at once position itself as a premium, eco-friendly alternative to the most natural liquid on the planet, while also looking and acting like a florescent energy drink favoured by people who either loiter aimlessly beside park swings (as a teenager) or someone else’s flat (as 27-year-olds). These are Vice’s words, by the way, not mine.
So, Liquid Death’s UK exit highlights the importance of understanding your audience before you drop into new markets and realising that the story you’ve been so successful with in one market might fall flat in another.
In short, when it comes to international expansion, it’s good to have a bit of humility and a willingness to listen to your audience. Bro.
