Marketing the Macabre
LIQUID DEATH’S DARING ASCENT
At first glance, not much about 42-year-old Mike Cessario stands out. Like many in his generation, he’s heavily tattooed and likes to wear band T-shirts. Depending on your age or sensibilities, you’re likely to either pass him on the street without giving him much thought or walk to the other side to avoid him. Either way, your preconceptions would be wrong — dead wrong. Cessario’s the man behind Liquid Death, a name you’ve likely seen on your supermarket shelves. Although you’d expect someone with his aesthetics to fill his company’s aluminum cans with alcohol, he’s made a fortune by selling good old-fashioned … water ?! MURDERING THIRST — AND THE MARKETPLACE Cessario revolutionized the beverage industry by adhering to the philosophy that the best way to someone’s wallet is through their eyes. With its provocative, skull-emblazed cans and promise to “murder your thirst,” Liquid Death has exceeded expectations of what a water company could achieve. It has grown from a cheeky
concept to a $1.4 billion business in just five years , proving that just about anything will sell if given the right spin.
THE BRAIN BEHIND THE BRAND Liquid Death’s leader had already mastered the art of millennial- focused marketing long before his brand dominated the field. In addition to collaborating with influencers Steve-O (“Jackass”) and Travis Barker (Blink-182), Cessario’s viral promotion skills helped drive the success of the Netflix shows “House of Cards” and “Stranger Things.” Now at the helm of an outrageously successful company, he readily admits his upward climb has resulted mainly from choosing what he describes as “the dumbest possible name” for a safe and healthy beverage. As he told CNBC, “If someone I knew saw [one of our cans] in a store, I’m pretty sure they’re going to have to pick that up and be like, ‘What is this?’ And once someone picks something up, you’ve basically won. SUDOKU
One-Pot Chicken Noodle Soup Inspired by TasteOfHome.com
Ingredients • 2 1/2 lbs skinless, bone-in chicken thighs • 1 tsp salt • 1 tsp pepper • 2 tbsp olive oil • 1 large onion, chopped • 3 garlic cloves, minced • 10 cups chicken broth
• 4 celery ribs, chopped • 4 medium carrots, chopped • 2 bay leaves • 1 tsp dried thyme • 3 cups uncooked egg noodles (about 8 oz) • 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley • 1 tbsp lemon juice
Directions
1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. In an 8-quart stockpot over medium-high heat, add oil and chicken and cook until golden brown, 3–4 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside. 2. Add onion to drippings; cook over medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add broth and bring to a boil. Return chicken to pot. Add celery, carrots, bay leaves, and thyme. Reduce heat and cover; simmer until chicken is tender, 25–30 minutes. 3. Turn off heat. Remove chicken to a plate. Add noodles and let stand, covered, until noodles are tender, 20–22 minutes. 4. Shred chicken meat into bite-size pieces, and return to pot. Stir in parsley and lemon juice, and discard bay leaves.
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