Entertainment Beats Marketing

Mike Cessario, founder of Liquid Death, explains how to approach marketing as entertainment first, competing against all content in social feeds rather than just other brands.

Core Marketing Philosophy

• Marketing must compete against everything in social feeds, not just other beverage ads
• Content competes against influencers who are uncensored and create engaging content
• Traditional beverage marketing doesn't stand out in modern social media environments
• The bar for content quality needs to be much higher than traditional marketing

Entertainment-First Approach

• Never put something in feeds that feels like marketing
• Focus on creating actual entertainment that:
  • Makes people laugh
  • Could be the funniest thing someone sees that morning
  • People want to share with friends
• Give value to audience beyond just marketing messages

Marketing as Product Extension

• Uses marketing initiatives that double as profitable ventures
• Examples of entertainment-marketing fusion:
  • Released vinyl records featuring social media hate comments as metal lyrics
  • Sold 700 vinyl records in under 2 weeks
  • Outperformed typical metal band record sales
• Considers brand extensions that align with core mission:
  • Potential heavy metal yoga studios
  • Other health-focused innovations that maintain brand identity

Results-Driven Validation

• Used social media to validate concept before product existed
• Initial $1,500 video with $3,000 in paid media led to:
  • 3 million views
  • More Facebook followers than Aquafina
  • Inbound interest from distributors and retailers
• Proved concept's viability before seeking significant investment

This approach shows how treating marketing as entertainment can build brand awareness and create new revenue streams while maintaining authentic connection with audience.