In the world of marketing, it’s common to see brands gain fame not just for their products but for their promotional prowess. Liquid Death, the canned water brand that has seemingly taken over the marketing world in the past year, is a prime example of this phenomenon. But as the brand continues to dominate LinkedIn feeds and marketing presentations, it’s worth questioning whether the focus on its promotion and packaging is a sign of a deeper issue: the neglect of product improvement in marketing.
Liquid Death: A Marketing Marvel
Liquid Death’s rise to fame has been nothing short of meteoric. The brand, known for its edgy branding and aluminum cans filled with mountain water from the Alps, has become a favorite among marketers. You can’t escape it—Liquid Death is everywhere. From daily posts on LinkedIn by branding enthusiasts to its omnipresence at marketing conventions all over the world, the brand has captured the imagination of the marketing world.
The credit for this success goes to Mike Cessario, the tattooed ex-agency founder who brought Liquid Death to life. Growing a brand as quickly and successfully as Liquid Death is no small feat, and Cessario’s work deserves recognition. However, by early 2024, it became clear that the global marketing community was, once again, blowing things out of proportion.
The Reality Check
Despite the hype, Liquid Death is still a relatively small player in the grand scheme of things. In 2023, the brand generated $263 million in revenue—a significant amount, but one that pales in comparison to the likes of Coca-Cola, which earns that much every 72 hours. And while Coke is making billions in profit, Liquid Death is only aiming to earn its first profit in 2024.
This isn’t the first time marketers have gone overboard with their praise for a new brand. Remember Dollar Shave Club? A decade ago, marketers were falling over themselves to praise the brand for its viral ad and cool backstory, even though it was nowhere near as big or profitable as its established rival, Gillette. The same thing is happening with Liquid Death.
So, why is Liquid Death the go-to example for marketers? The answer lies in the brand’s disruptive approach to marketing. Liquid Death is a brand built on packaging and promotion, and little else. Its water may come from the Alps, and the aluminum cans are certainly appealing, but no one talks about the product itself. Instead, the focus is on the ads, the attitude, the social media presence, and the events.
For a generation of marketers who see marketing as synonymous with advertising, Liquid Death is the perfect pin-up brand. But this narrow focus on promotion ignores the other 90% of marketing that is just as, if not more, important.
The Misguided Mantra: “The Best-Marketed Product Wins”
A common refrain among marketers is that “it’s not the best product that wins, it’s the best-marketed product.” While this statement has a grain of truth, it’s rarely the case in reality. In most instances, the quality of the product is crucial for success. Marketing can amplify a great product, but even the best marketing can’t save a poor one.
Product should be a part of marketing’s remit. After all, the original ‘four Ps’ of marketing include product as a key component. Yet, many marketers today seem to view marketing as something separate from the product itself, focusing exclusively on communications and promotion.
The Importance of Product Marketing
The concept of ‘product marketing’ has become a necessity because most marketers are now so removed from the product itself. The tech world’s obsession with ‘product-market fit’ might seem redundant, but it’s essential because many marketers can’t connect the product they’re selling with the market they’re serving.
Elon Musk, a figure who has his fair share of controversies, has a point when it comes to product focus. In a 2020 interview with the Wall Street Journal, Musk advised, “Spend less time on finance, less time in conference rooms, less time on PowerPoint, and more time just making your product as amazing as possible. I don’t think it has to be breakthrough innovation, just make your product better. This is the thing that really matters.”
Too often, marketers are quick to point out that they’re not involved in product development. This is a sad but true reflection of the state of modern marketing. Most marketing teams no longer have a hand in product implementation, leaving that to other parts of the organization.
Musk’s point about product work not needing to be breakthrough innovation is crucial. Most marketing teams rarely start with a blank slate when it comes to product development. But once a product hits the market and data starts pouring in, marketing teams should be involved in improving the product based on that data.
