Liquid Death has captured the attention of many Americans across the country with its aluminum cans of mountain water, sparkling water, and iced teas. They’re particularly well-known for their marketing – Liquid Death has turned canned water into a mindset with packaging that looks like a tallboy, a recognizable skull logo, and a tagline “murder your thirst.” The company’s manifesto is to make people laugh and drink more healthy beverages while “killing plastic pollution.”

Since Liquid Death launched in 2019, the beverage company has generated significant brand awareness. They currently have 2+ million Instagram followers and 4+ million TikTok followers, and they’ve also collaborated with Travis Barker, Steve-O, Martha Stewart, and other celebrities.

Join the Conversation: Have you ever tried beverages from Liquid Death?

Given its large presence in the beverage space, where do consumers currently stand on Liquid Death? Here’s what CivicScience data says:

Sixteen percent of Americans have tried Liquid Death beverages, with usage significantly higher among younger demographics.

CivicScience data show that many Americans are familiar with the brand, but also point at the potential for customer growth, as 59% say they haven’t heard of the brand before. Currently, 16% of U.S. adults have tried Liquid Death beverages, and another 5% haven’t tried them but plan on it. Conversely, 20% are not interested in buying Liquid Death.

In line with Liquid Death’s target market, 42% of Gen Z adults and 38% of younger Millennials have tried the brand. This compares to 7% of adults aged 35+ who say the same – the age group most likely to be unfamiliar with the brand. 

Additionally, men are significantly more likely than women to be customers of Liquid Death, but women are slightly more likely to be intenders. Those with a household income of over $50,000 are also the most likely to be Liquid Death customers and intenders.

Liquid Death’s Marketing Is Killer, According to Consumer Data

High favorability toward Liquid Death’s marketing efforts makes them a “brand to watch.” Among those aware of Liquid Death, a whopping 51% are favorable to their packaging and marketing – including their can designs, “Don’t be scared. It’s just water” advertisements, social media posts, and more. Conversely, 30% say they’re neutral and 19% are unfavorable toward their branding. 

Favorability jumps to 74% among Gen Z adults aged 18-24 and to 61% among younger Millennials aged 25-34 – generations that are often fed with “weird marketing,” which can make it more difficult for brands to stand out from the crowd.

Unsurprisingly, older demographics are most likely to be unfavorable to Liquid Death’s packaging and marketing. Forty-four percent of Americans 55+ say they dislike the branding versus 19% who are favorable to it.

Additional Insights on Liquid Death Customers

So, what makes Liquid Death adopters stand apart? For one, they’re more likely than non-customers to purchase most of their groceries from supercenters (e.g., Walmart, Target) or membership club retailers (e.g., Costco, Sam’s Club), and less likely to shop at regional grocery stores (e.g., Safeway, Giant Eagle). Interestingly, adopters and intenders are also more likely to say they shop at convenience stores, gas stations, and drug stores most often.

Additional data from the CivicScience InsightStore uncovers key insights on Liquid Death adopters: 

  • 27% adjust their lifestyle to help the environment ‘every chance they get,’ five percentage points higher than those not interested in Liquid Death.
  • 66% say their social media friends influence the products they buy at least ‘a little’ – more than double the percentage of those not interested in trying the brand.
  • 45% purchase food or beverages from convenience stores (e.g.,7-Eleven, Speedway) at least once a week, compared to 18% of those uninterested in Liquid Death.
  • 71% drink water from a water bottle most often (versus a cup) – which includes 41% who drink from a reusable water bottle and 30% who drink from a plastic one.
  • 19% drink more than eight 16 oz. glasses of water per day, compared to 13% of those not interested in trying their beverages.
  • 51% stream music for more than two hours a day – double the percentage of those uninterested.

Answer Our Polls: Do you prefer sparkling/carbonated water or flat water for drinking?

CivicScience has a constant pulse on numerous brand customers, including their spending habits, well-being, economic outlook, lifestyle behaviors, and more through the InsightStore™. If you’d like to see similar insights for your customers (and competitors), connect with us.