THE AD: Liquid Death promotes its new energy drink line, Sparkling Energy, with a PSA-style ad that warns of the dangers of other “extreme” beverages that can “explode heads.” Longevity specialist Dr. Darshan Shah, who co-formulated the energy drink, promises that Liquid Death’s product, which has just 100mg of caffeine, is “guaranteed to not explode your head.”
MY TAKE: Liquid Death has positioned itself as a renegade brand with its disruptive, unconventional marketing, from 2023’s Enema of the State collaboration with Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker (complete with real enema bulb) to last year’s “Kegs for Pregs” starring a pregnant Kylie Kelce. It’s known for its attitude and edgy humor—perfect fodder for social virality.
This ad, however, lacks the same energy. First, the PSA parody format is overdone. And while the scenes of headless people and exploding heads are supposed to be shocking, they stirred no reaction in me. Struggling to top the outrageousness of its previous ads, Liquid Death is treading over its own familiar territory. The shock value that once felt fresh is now routine.
The problem with perfecting a formula is that it becomes formulaic. Now that Liquid Death has inspired a wave of copycats with their own edgy ads, the bar has risen. Being irreverent isn’t enough anymore when everyone’s doing it.
It’s time for Liquid Death to reinvent the wheel, or risk becoming just another brand that used to be cool.
Watch Liquid Death’s Super Bowl 60 ad, “Stop Exploding,” below.
