Liquid Death Introduces Death Dust Electrolyte Mix
Liquid Death canned water took the alternative straight-edge scene by a storm when it launched in 2019 with its intentionally heavy-handed, almost silly branding. Now, the non-alc RTD beverage pioneer is venturing beyond the $25 billion water industry and entering a new category: powdered electrolyte drink mixes.
Introducing Liquid Death Electrolyte Death Dust. In true Liquid Death fashion, the box comes with 12 sticks of the electrolyte drink mix (three different flavors and four sticks of each) with flavor names that double as edgy puns: "Convicted Melon," "Mango Chainsaw," and "Severed Lime," all under the brand's signature tagline "Murder Your Thirst." Each stick of electrolyte-enriched flavor dust contains 35 calories, 300 milligrams of sodium, 200 milligrams of potassium, and 40 milligrams of magnesium, plus light sweetening with dextrose and cane sugar. Just dump 'em into a bottle of water (or a can of Liquid Death Mountain Water) and shake to dissolve. The box runs for $17.99 plus shipping, and for now, it looks like Amazon is the exclusive retailer of the product.
Like the brand's revolutionary canned water, Death Dust could be arriving right on time. There's a hopping consumer market for enhanced water. In 2022, the global market for electrolyte mixes was reported at a whopping $17.7 billion with an anticipated compound annual growth rate of 5.2%, reaching $30.1 billion by 2031, according to Allied Market Research. Death Dust could ride the wave of promoted wellness products, appealing not just to athletes but also to all health-conscious consumers.
A new chapter for the edgy, health-conscious brand
Founder Mike Cessario originally envisioned Liquid Death as a way for sober musicians to stay hydrated at shows and still have a cool can to hold. Now, broadening the target audience beyond straight-edge young adults to folks who might drink alcohol but still need to hydrate either way (i.e. literally everybody) could be a very strategic move in brand longevity.
An official Instagram post announcing the Death Dust brands it as a recovery supplement, writing, "These deranged sticks of electrolyte drink mix won't just brutally murder your thirst, they'll also pump you with enough essential vitamins and electrolytes that you'll rise from the dead and no longer be a flesh-eating zombie psychopath after a long night of partying." A gag-humor commercial depicts bloodthirsty, zombified young adults returning to their normal docile human selves after a sip of the Death Dust water. Fans in the comment section are super into it, raving, "The branding is so on point" and "You guys just can't miss. It's incredible."
Despite their impressive market, electrolyte drink mixes haven't been without a little pushback. Nutritional experts debate whether supplements like these are all that helpful or important, arguing that there are other dietary ways to meet your electrolyte needs instead of shelling out for dedicated water enhancers. Still, Liquid Death's whole platform has always been about increasing accessibility and making "uncool" healthy habits cooler, and the new Death Dust could be the natural continuation of the brand's dogma.