Latest news with #LiquidDeath
Fast Company
17 hours ago
- Business
- Fast Company
How Liquid Death turned water into a cult brand
Liquid Death isn't just water, it's a master class in disruptive branding. In this explainer, we break down how the company built a reputation by launching bizarre, unforgettable collabs. Learn how it became the king of viral marketing one stunt at a time.
Fast Company
5 days ago
- Business
- Fast Company
Liquid Death takes aim at prebiotic sodas with some toilet humor
Liquid Death has taken the old-timey Pepsi Challenge taste test concept to some pretty strange places for its flavored sparkling waters. Back in 2022, it pitted its $1.99 cans of Liquid Death against tallboys of luxury liquids like lobster béarnaise sauce ($50), liquified Japanese wagyu cheeseburger ($51), Spanish squid ink ($58), and beluga caviar ($580). Cue the dry heaves. And in 2023, it responded to a tweet that said, 'I'd rather lick sweat off a fat guy's back than drink Liquid Death,' with a spot entitled—you guessed it —' Better Than Back Sweat? ' Now the brand is taking aim at prebiotic sodas like Olipop with a new taste test ad called 'Toilet Taste Test.' Here we have several brave members of the public coming to test the chuggability of a Liquid Death flavored sparkling water against a mug of unnamed prebiotic soda. Each subject tastes the Liquid Death first, then is asked to try the prebiotic soda while sitting on the toilet since it claims the prebiotic soda contains six times the fiber in a fiber-based laxative. Subject responses are . . . revealing. 'Not quite prairie-dogging but feeling some motion.' 'Number 2 might make me number two.' Watch the (soda) throne The prebiotic soda market has been forecasted to hit $3.5 billion by 2032. In February, Coca-Cola launched Simply Pop, and a month later PepsiCo acquired Poppi for $1.95 billion. Popular brand Olipop (which contains 6 g of fiber per can) was valued at $1.85 billion in February, after raising $50 million in its latest funding round. Liquid Death was valued at $1.4 billion, following its latest funding round last March. According to the company, 2024 retail sales were $333 million, up from $263 million in 2023. While it's not the most obvious competitor to the heavy metal and comedy-infused canned water brand, Liquid Death has always positioned itself as a healthy alternative to traditional sugar-filled soda. 'The Toilet Taste Test' is a clear indication of what brands it deems a threat to its own growth trajectory. By taking aim at the taste and consequences of fiber, the brand not only found the funny, but also took a direct hit on what many see as prebiotic soda's Achilles heel. It's also a perfect example of the brand's consistently funny take on advertising. At the Fast Company Grill at SXSW in March, Liquid Death's senior VP of marketing Dan Murphy told me the goal for all of its content was to make sure it 'doesn't smell like an ad' and creates engagement with consumers and the media. 'The metrics you should look for are saves and shares,' Murphy said. 'If somebody's going to go back and watch that again, if somebody's sharing that with a friend, there's that viral coefficient that is telling you you're doing it right.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Now open, live music venue Five plans 100 shows a year in renovated Five Points theater
Marathon Live has turned old warehouses and auto plants into live music venues across the country, but the company had never converted an old theater until it came to Jacksonville. For Five, the firm spent about $2 million to turn the old Sun-Ray Cinema space into a venue that can hold up to 1,250 for a concert. "This is the first time we have renovated a historic theater," Mark Dinerstein, the company's CEO, said May 15 in the venue's lobby. "You cannot replace or create the character of a 1927 building. They just don't make them like this anymore." Five sits at the heart of the Five Points business district in Jacksonville's historic Riverside neighborhood, and retains the familiar blinking marquee on Park Street. The main room is set up in three tiers, a remnant of the old movie theater layout. A large bar is at the back of the room, along with a small seating area and the soundboard. Down one step is a large standing area. Down another is the front "pit" area. The mezzanine has been extended down both sides of the room and has space for about 200 fans. The old projection booth has been converted into a VIP lounge. Five opened on May 13 with a performance by BoyWithUke. On opening night, fans were in line by 5 p.m. for an 8 o'clock show. By the time the doors opened at 7 p.m., the line had stretched all the way to the corner of Park and Post streets. Before entering the venue, fans first had their IDs checked and received a stamp if they were old enough to buy alcohol, then went through a security checkpoint, where a guard checked them with a metal detector. There's a large bar at the rear of the main floor, and another upstairs. The bars sell beer, but no cocktails at this point. Five has no kitchen, but some snacks are sold at the bars, but Dinerstein said he expects to get a liquor license this summer. Liquid Death sparkling water and Red Bull energy drinks were big sellers on opening night, but there were never lines at the bar. The big lines were at the merchandise booth, which is located in the front lobby. The venue is cashless, so all transactions must be paid electronically. The stage is 28 feet wide, which Dinerstein said is about average for a venue the size of Five. The stage has a 30-foot high fly loft overhead, allowing for large lighting systems. The club has its own L'Acoustics sound system. All of the old theater seats are gone. On opening night, there were fewer than 50 chairs in the whole venue — a couple dozen arrayed along the mezzanine railing and in the VIP loft (the old projection booth) and some folding chairs in a floor-level Americans with Disabilities Act seating area. No spots are reserved, and fans are free to stand wherever they like. Some shows will be fully seated, although none are on the current schedule. There are no age restrictions for most of the shows. At the BoyWithUke show, there were dozens of children in attendance and families posed for photos with the stage in the background. Capacity at Five is 1,266 standing patrons or 545 seated. That puts it around the same size as the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall, which is undergoing renovations but will reopen in August with capacity for around 1,100 standing and 600 seated. Opening night at the venue has been delayed a number of times by construction delays. Five was originally slated to open in January, and the first 17 shows booked at the venue were canceled, moved or postponed. There are 20 shows on Five's upcoming schedule, including Jacksonville's Lil Poppa, Georgia rockers Drivin N Cryin, former Disney kids Aly & AJ and country singer Drake Milligan. Five will not operate on nights when there is no show booked. Dinerstein said he plans to be "genre-fluid" and book comedy, lectures and other events in the space and open it about 100 nights per year. Five no longer has projection equipment to show movies. Marathon Live announced plans in 2022 for another venue at the Dennis + Ives development in the city's Rail Yard District that remains unbuilt. Dinerstein said that project is still in discussion. Marathon does not operate more than one venue in any other city, he noted. There was a large community outcry last year when Sun-Ray announced it was closing after 13 years in Five Points, when the building was sold and the lease was not renewed. Dinerstein said he's heard from some of the Sun-Ray supporters and wanted to be clear that Marathon Live doesn't own the building and didn't do anything to push Sun-Ray out. "There are definitely some old Sun-Ray fans that have let us know they are displeased," he said. "We had nothing to do with Sun-Ray going out of business." New location, new city: After closing, Sun-Ray Cinema moves, reopens Five joins Decca Live on Bay Street among the city's newest music venues. Another Bay Street venue has changed names, with Underbelly rebranding as The Albatross. This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: New concert venue Five opens in Jacksonville's Five Points
Boston Globe
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Everything you should eat at this year's Boston Calling
Also new to the lineup, but probably not to locals, is Get Winter Soup Club A six-week series featuring soup recipes and cozy vibes, plus side dishes and toppings, to get us all through the winter. Enter Email Sign Up Plenty of favorite vendors are returning this year, including Advertisement The sushi nachos from Art Love Sushi. HANDOUT Liu also told us it's one of the most fun things they do every year, and that Boston Calling feels like the kickoff of summer fun season. 'It's something that everyone gets excited looking forward to, it's like, OK, we're out of the trenches of the cold and so it's a weekend full of just music, fun, and sun.' Both McGuire and Liu are excited for people to try their food, with McGuire noting, 'It's a good percentage of people that are local, so the idea is to find groups that haven't been to my original truck, to try our food.' Lobster rolls from New England Provisions. HANDOUT Greco culinary director Brendan Palley, who also oversees Bar Vlaha, Krasi, and Hecate, told us, 'Greco has been doing this for years, and it's such a great way to connect with the community at large and watch people fall in love with authentic Greek street food.' To wash it all down, festival-goers will find local brewer Samuel Adams returning to pour beers, along with Miller, Coors, and Heineken products. Josh Cellars will have several wines from their vineyards available as well. Non-alcoholic options like Red Bull and Liquid Death water will be available to keep the crowd hydrated. Advertisement A chicken sandwich from Lily P's. HANDOUT Over in the platinum section, there will be elevated food selections (and air-conditioned bathrooms) from the city's top culinary talent. We asked Will Gilson, chef and partner of Cambridge's Palley will be representing Blackbird Doughnuts. HANDOUT Along with Gilson and Palley, a rotating array of chefs including James Beard award winner And, yes, the chefs are looking forward to hearing some great music while cooking for the crowd, including self-proclaimed dad-rock lover Gilson, who loves the Black Crowes, and Liu, who is ready for early aughts throwbacks like T-Pain and Fall Out Boy. Tanya Edwards can be reached at
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kylie Kelce's ‘Kegs for Pregs' sold out in 14 minutes—because pregnant moms deserve to have fun too
Kylie Kelce—wife of NFL star Jason Kelce, mom of three (soon to be four), and certified queen of keeping it real—just made hydration hilarious. Partnering with Liquid Death, she launched 'Kegs for Pregs,' a limited-edition, five-liter keg of water (yes, just water) for expecting moms who want to sip from something a little more… festive. The result? Sold out in 14 minutes. In the now-viral promo, Kelce, eight months pregnant, jokes about chugging Liquid Death's Mountain Water from her personal keg, only for someone to dramatically declare: 'Oh my God, your water just broke.' (Chef's kiss, 10/10 marketing.) And moms got it. Because while pregnancy is a beautiful, life-changing journey, it's also nine months of being told what not to do. No sushi. No wine. No hot tubs. No fun? Kelce's viral moment flips that script. It's a celebration of moms who are done with the idea that pregnancy means sitting quietly in a corner, sipping lukewarm tea, and waiting to give birth. Instead, it says: Pregnant moms can have fun, be the life of the party (with water in hand), and, yes, laugh at the wild ride that is growing a human. Related: Kylie Kelce says Jason Kelce isn't watching their kids right now—and moms everywhere have thoughts This 'Kegs for Pregs' campaign isn't just about a viral ad but a cultural shift. Today's moms aren't just embracing motherhood—they're reclaiming their right to enjoy it, too. They're throwing big gender reveal parties, rocking bold maternity fashion, and ditching the pressure to be perfect. Gone are the days of whispering, 'I'll just have water,' at happy hour. Now? Moms-to-be are showing up with a keg of it. Because fun, confidence, and a little bit of chaos? That's precisely the kind of energy we should be bringing into motherhood. So let's cheers (with a non-alcoholic beverage) to Kylie Kelce and every mom who refuses to let pregnancy dull their sparkle. Related: Kylie Kelce gets real about 'severe baby blues' and the hardest parts of early motherhood
