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It's no secret that Liquid Death disrupted the beverage industry with its edgy and risky unconventional branding, highly engaging digital marketing tactics and rebellious marketing campaigns, including skull imagery and dark colors that set them far apart from traditional water companies.
In a similar way, Plunge cold plunge tubs established themselves as the most desired and most popular cold plunge tub in the industry by designing the sleekest looking tub at a more affordable price point than tubs with similar aesthetics.
This past month, Liquid Death and Plunge combined their trailblazing minds to launch the 'Freeze to Death' Cold Plunge. "Step into the abyss with Liquid Death x Plunge — the ice can that's not just cold, but death-defyingly cold," is what Plunge shared on their website, in addition to "This upright cold plunge lets you submerge in a spine-tingling, full-body freeze, perfect for those who live life on the edge."
As a limited-edition collaboration, only 300 of these were made, designed for outdoor use, and retailed for $5,990. They included a chiller, insulated lid and certificate of authenticity.
I had the pleasure of speaking to the Co-Founders and co-CEOs of Plunge, Michael Garrett and Ryan Duey, and the Marketing Director for Liquid Death, Greg Fass. From my observations of this campaign and conversations with them, below are 5 Lessons that entrepreneurs can learn about memorable and effective marketing strategy.
1. Do what nobody else is doing
In this case, Liquid Death embraces a rebellious and punk aesthetic, unlike other water brands out there. With a mission to "murder" plastic bottles driven by their unorthodox tagline, "Death to Plastic Bottles," the brand maintained its shock-value messaging with the "Freeze to Death" campaign.
For this collaboration, the brands were quite unrelated, yet both embraced the idea that they were launching an unexpected product. The recovery theme was a clever play, given that both brands can be linked to restoration and self-improvement via hydration and overall mental and physical health.
By bringing in humor and irreverence, the collaboration won significant engagement and exposure, serving up "ice cold water" in a completely different way than one would expect — and, more importantly, in a way that no one had done before.
Fass explained this to me as "trying to win the internet for the day…in other words, compete with the memes, celebrities and other content that's out there to entertain audiences and seek to win!"
Related: 12 Things Mentally Strong People Do That Nobody Else Does
2. Capitalize on trends and seasonality
While Liquid Death CEO and former punk rock skateboarder Mike Cessario is already known for his creativity and passion for health, the partnership was brilliant considering the rise of the cold plunge trend in America. The two brands already had a wonderful relationship and mutual respect for each other.
The end-of-summer timing was ideal, given that the "large can" is perfect for tailgate parties at the onset of football season, Halloween events, and a time when people in general need to continue to embrace their own health and wellness.
Cold plunge tubs are known to boost mood and metabolism and offer physical health benefits. With the popularity that Plunge has established, this partnership idea could not have been cooler, literally, for the founders at Plunge in an era where cold plunge studios and cold plunging are on the rise.
3. Maximize impact on social media
Both Liquid Death and Plunge have established large, reputable and loyal following across social media outlets. When I first heard of Plunge, I recall they had seeded their tubs to many high-profile wellness experts and athletes that I knew or knew of, including Andrew Huberman, Tony Hawk, Aubrey Marcus, Rich Roll and some of the fitness instructors whose workouts are part of my regime, such as Peloton's Callie Gullickson Howell and Courteney Fisher from Fit With Coco.
Followers and ambassadors from both companies immediately helped support the campaign, with the collaboration post receiving over 21,300 likes and 342 comments, including "freakin' genius" and "collab of the year." The bold and eccentric posts also sparked engagement across TikTok, Facebook and Linkedin.
4. Capitalize on giving back and social responsibility
Plunge donates to various environmental and humanitarian organizations through its 'Plunge for the Planet Program.' Liquid Death is committed to cleaning up plastic pollution through its rebellious can designs. Both companies look to inspire audiences to make more sustainable choices for people and the planet. In itself, this is a win, as consumers are more focused on supporting brands that care about and support people and the planet.
Related: Corporate Social Responsibility Is More Than Just Charity — Here's Why It's Good for Business.
5. Leverage your superpowers
As human beings and entrepreneurs, we are all encouraged to use "our superpowers," whether it's an ability to approach challenges analytically, a track record in scaling businesses or, in my case, the strength of my personal relationships and network.
Through a brilliant brand and a well-executed marketing plan, Liquid Death built a community of cult-like loyal followers to help promote this collaboration. Plunge, on the other hand, focused on designing and engineering their own products in-house. The Co-Founders take pride in having an in-house team that includes a nationwide customer support network.
They also design and manage their app, which controls temperature and smart cleaning, amongst other features, in-house. Additionally, their SEO is and was a superpower from their early launch days, given that they named their company Plunge and came up as the #1 Google listing when the term "cold plunge" is searched.
From messaging to imagery and, ultimately, embracing entertainment beyond the unexpected, the 'Freeze to Death' cold therapy tub will certainly drive more leads for both companies, which are trailblazing each in their own categories.
So next time you question an edgy marketing tactic or collaboration, ask yourself if you are going completely against the grain, aligning with growing consumer preferences and if your customers are likely to be on board with the campaign. If you can check those boxes, I suggest you go for it. So long as your campaign is authentic, distinctive and aligned with a trend, cause or event, and you can connect with audiences emotionally, you should go for it!
Why? Because why not?
