Liquid Death's disgusting taste test is unapologetically skewed in its favor

Blind tests can be a powerful marketing tool for brand newcomers. Brand faceoffs such as Pepsi vs Coke, Apple vs. Microsoft, and Google vs Bing have implemented the technique to prove they hold up to category leaders, while other campaigns such as Heinz’s “Draw Ketchup” simply use the method as a reminder of dominance. In a subversion of the classic, Liquid Death seeks to prove the luxury of its canned water by hosting a blind taste test against the world’s most pricey delicacies—broken down and mashed into disgusting concoctions. Promoting its new line of flavored sparkling waters against a crowded group of competitors, Liquid Death passed up testing versus the likes of La Croix or San Pellegrino for a more high-end bunch, including caviar, squid ink and Wagyu beef. But rather than giving its challengers a straight shot, the brand blended them into drinkable abominations. The campaign spot begins with a group of 17 unsuspecting participants merrily blindfolding themselves and tasting the $1.99 can of flavored Liquid Death. They do their duty and give calm and thoughtful reactions, such as, “I like that,” “It’s sweet” and “That one’s pretty good.” The video cuts away to the kitchen where a glass of Lobster Bearnaise sauce, valued at $50, is stirred into a visibly grotesque consistency. The participants spit the drink, gag and regurgitate it into buckets. They are repeatedly tortured with mixtures of $58 Spanish squid ink, $51 Japanese Wagyu cheeseburger and $580 Beluga caviar, which causes one woman to violently vomit and shout profanities at the film’s crew. When asked which option earned victory, the participants unanimously and unsurprisingly select Liquid Death, followed by the brand’s proclamation that it is “better than the most expensive beverages on Earth.”

Liquid Death's disgusting taste test is unapologetically skewed in its favor

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