Mike Cessario
Timestamps are as accurate as they can be but may be slightly off. We encourage you to listen to the full context.
Podcast Summary
Mike Cessario, founder and CEO of Liquid Death, shares his journey from advertising executive to building a $1.4 billion beverage company that revolutionized healthy drinks through edgy, entertainment-first marketing. The conversation explores how Cessario transformed water in aluminum cans into a cultural phenomenon by using humor and counterculture aesthetics to make healthy products appealing to audiences who typically avoid them. (03:00) He discusses the challenges of manufacturing, distribution, and competing against giants like Coca-Cola and Pepsi, while maintaining the brand's authentic voice that turns traditional marketing on its head.
- Main Theme: How to build a successful consumer brand by baking marketing into the product itself and using entertainment-first content to create genuine audience engagement rather than traditional advertising approaches.
Speakers
Mike Cessario
Mike Cessario is the founder and CEO of Liquid Death, one of the fastest-growing non-alcoholic brands and healthy beverage platform built on comedy. An advertising veteran-turned-entrepreneur, he has grown Liquid Death into the #2 most-followed beverage brand on social media through viral, entertainment-first campaigns, with the company recently valued at $1.4 billion under his leadership.
Key Takeaways
Bake Marketing Into the Product Itself
When starting a company with limited resources, traditional marketing approaches won't work. (20:23) Cessario explains that successful brands need products so interesting that customers naturally share them on social media. The key is designing everything - from naming to packaging - to be inherently shareable and conversation-worthy. Rather than creating a decent product and later spending money on advertising campaigns, smart entrepreneurs should create products that generate their own buzz through their very existence.
Make Entertainment, Not Advertising
Traditional advertising is universally hated because it provides no value to consumers who are forced to watch it. (01:09) However, if you can genuinely entertain people through your marketing, they will actively seek out your brand and follow it. Cessario notes that 91% of people have better feelings toward brands that make them laugh because entertainment provides actual value. The bar for advertising is so low that creating genuinely entertaining content gives companies a massive competitive advantage.
Use Data to Gut-Check, Not Make Decisions
Data can be completely reckless if used incorrectly, and anyone can manipulate data to support their preferred outcome. (40:25) The key is using data to extract truth and validate intuitions rather than letting it drive major decisions. Cessario emphasizes that survey data from small pools of people who agree to phone surveys may not represent your actual customer base. Instead, look at real market reactions through social media engagement and authentic customer behavior to guide strategic choices.
Focus on Quality Over Quantity in Content Creation
The "always-on" social media approach of constant posting dilutes quality and impact. (57:04) Following the model of creators like MrBeast, who posts one exceptional video per month that gets massive engagement, is more effective than frequent mediocre content. Cessario shifted Liquid Death's strategy to focus on creating one or two truly great pieces of content monthly rather than trying to maintain constant posting schedules, recognizing that great entertainment takes time to develop.
Turn Problems Into Marketing Opportunities
Negative feedback and obstacles can become powerful marketing assets when handled creatively. (44:19) Liquid Death created their most successful social media campaign by screenshot-ting hate comments and sarcastically captioning it "People love us on the Internet." They later turned these hate comments into actual music albums, transforming criticism into entertainment. This approach works because it shows authenticity and humor while generating genuine content that resonates with audiences who appreciate brands that don't take themselves too seriously.
Statistics & Facts
- Liquid Death grew from $3 million in year one to $10 million in year two to $45 million in year three, demonstrating exponential growth in their early scaling phase. (71:05)
- In their first year selling only on Amazon and their website, Liquid Death achieved $3 million in sales, proving strong direct-to-consumer demand before entering retail. (30:29)
- The company expects to generate approximately $6 million in apparel sales this year as a beverage company, showing how they've expanded beyond traditional product boundaries. (68:52)
