A flesh-eating zombie might just be a dehydrated party animal that, once plumped up, can stop its killing frenzy and go back to the regular business of being a mall Santa, a police officer, a cubicle jockey or a gym rat.
So says Liquid Death in a campaign that launches the brand into a fast-growing new product category by leaning into its horror-comedy roots. The eco-conscious brand, which has already expanded from still to sparkling and flavored waters and iced teas, is announcing its first electrolyte powder called Death Dust.
And so no one’s confused, the brand offers this word of caution straight up front: “Please do not attempt to snort Death Dust.”
Instead, consumers are advised to combine the Severed Lime, Mango Chainsaw and Convicted Melon flavors with water or tea, preferably the brand’s own. The drink mix, like many in the burgeoning category, contains vitamins and minerals such as B6, B12, potassium and magnesium, among other nutrients, but nixes the caffeine that’s common in some brands.
To introduce Death Dust, the brand’s in-house marketing and creative teams have dropped a silly-gory video in line with its history of blending bloody visuals with cheeky humor. By going the intentionally outrageous route, Liquid Death continues to position itself against energy drinks, junk food and beer marketers.
Along with snippets of fake violence and brain devouring, the commercial gives viewers another original song from the Liquid Death oeuvre—this one’s an overwrought ‘80s-style rock tune with lyrics like, “Death Dust, rise from the dead, don’t be a zombie be a human instead.”
Liquid Death’s new product debuts as the appetite for electrolyte mixes is on the rise, and behemoths like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nestle and others already dominating the category. Globally, the market grew from $33.7 billion in 2022 to $37.3 billion in 2023, with $58.6 billion in sales expected by 2027, per a Yahoo Finance report that cites the U.S. as a hotbed for the products.
Death Dust debuts on Amazon this month.