In today’s media jungle, attention isn’t bought, it’s earned with bold, culturally sharp content. Liquid Death isn’t just selling healthy beverages; it’s building a brand that plays like a comedy studio and performs like a media company.
In this episode of The Speed of Culture, Matt Britton speaks with Dan Murphy, svp of marketing at Liquid Death. From viral collabs to their in-house writers’ room, Dan shares how Liquid Death turns cultural chaos into marketing gold. Dan explains how the team is turning satire and storytelling into a playbook for brand relevance in the scroll economy and the age of the algorithm.
A veteran of Crispin Porter + Bogusky, Dan brings a deep pedigree in performance-driven, culture-forward marketing. He’s helped grow Liquid Death into one of the fastest-growing beverage brands by turning satire into serious results, and turning water into a movement.
Listen to Dan Murphy on The Speed of Culture podcast to uncover how Liquid Death is turning comedy into a full-funnel brand machine.
Key takeaways:
[04:22] Packaging That Breaks the Aisle Scroll — Dan reveals how Liquid Death’s beer-like cans and bold design weren’t just aesthetic choices. They were strategic. By mimicking energy drinks and beer, they made water visually disruptive. This design invites curiosity and signals rebellion in social settings, helping the brand stand out in a commoditized space.
[06:57] Comedy as the Content North Star — Liquid Death’s approach is entertainment-first, with comedy as its core. Murphy explains that brands need a content strategy that’s good enough to compete with everything else online. Their secret? An in-house writers’ room staffed by professional comedians and creatives from The Onion and Adult Swim.
[12:33] Collaborations as Culture Vehicles — Brand collabs aren’t just co-branded merch, they’re performance art. Murphy shares how partnerships like e.l.f.’s Corpse Paint Kit and Tony Hawk’s blood-infused skateboards turn campaigns into stories the internet can’t ignore. These activations are not only authentic, but blend product, PR, and parody in one cultural punch.
[17:11] Shareability Is the New ROI — For Liquid Death, it’s not about likes, it’s about shares. That’s the “God metric,” as Dan puts it. If people are sending it to friends, it’s working. Whether it’s a local news clip or a viral meme, every earned impression moves the needle—and the product—off shelves.
[21:54] Real-Time Testing Before Big Media Plays — Before anything hits traditional media like CTV or the Super Bowl, it must first pass the audience test on social. Liquid Death uses their 13 million+ followers to see what sticks organically before scaling it with paid support, ensuring every dollar is spent on something that already hits.
