Liquid Death & Van Leeuwen conspire to create a hot fudge sundae-flavored sparkling water
These brands collaborated on a sparkling water so deliciously confusing that consumers might wonder if they should sip it or top it with a cherry.
What do you get when you mix the rebellious spirit of hair metal with the nostalgic sweetness of an old-school ice-cream parlor? Hot Fudge Sundae Sparkling Water – Liquid Death and Van Leeuwen’s latest brainchild – proving that even the wildest flavor dreams and brand collaborations can come true.
The canned water brand and experimental ice-cream company have jointly announced a sparkling water today that reportedly tastes exactly like a hot fudge sundae, complete with hints of cocoa and vanilla. Yes, you read that right: sparkling water with the indulgence of a dessert, but only 20 calories a can.
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Starting today, Hot Fudge Sundae Sparkling Water will be available in single cans at Van Leeuwen scoop shops across the country, while eight-pack cases of 19.2oz tallboys will be sold online via Amazon and Liquid Death’s TikTok Shop for $13.99.
Van Leeuwen is no stranger to thinking outside the (ice-cream) box. The brand has previously introduced flavors like Hidden Valley Ranch, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese and even an Espresso Ice Cream in collaboration with pop star Sabrina Carpenter. But this campaign marks the first time the company has ventured into the world of beverages – and it’s also Liquid Death’s first attempt at concocting a dessert-flavored drink.
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“We’ve done lots of cool flavors in the past, but never have we brought our ice-cream to life in the form of another product,” said Ben Van Leeuwen, co-founder and chief executive of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream. “We’re excited to team up with a fellow brand that likes to push the boundaries on a fun collab that is a first for us both.”
True to form, Liquid Death has cooked up an ad that’s as off-the-wall as its new product. Imagine a group of adults at a raucous house party, cracking open cans of the Hot Fudge Sundae Sparkling Water.
But instead of fizzy water, what spills out are the gooey ingredients of a sundae – chocolate syrup, melted ice-cream, the works. Cue chaos and a hair metal soundtrack that screams, “Sparkling water, tastes like ice-cream! Hot fudge sundae! Chug it, sip it, drip it, rip it.”
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Just as the spot reaches peak absurdity, a ringing sound interrupts the fun, and the guests clutch their heads, writhing in pain from what can only be described as the worst brain freeze ever.
It then slows down, showing each person in agonizing detail – with one guy even falling out a window. But no worries; the party kicks back up when another pack of the sundae-flavored drink is brought in.
Greg Fass, Liquid Death’s vice-president of marketing, added: “We’ve seen a lot of brands make their own flavor of ice-cream, but we’re the first brand to make ice cream-flavored sparkling water that tastes exactly like a hot fudge sundae. We’re all about making healthy beverages more fun, so teaming up with Van Leeuwen Ice Cream to make the first chuggable, 20-calorie hot fudge sundae was the perfect pairing.”
The two brands are also setting up a series of bi-coastal pop-up events with samples of the beverage. It kicks off today at Washington Square Park in NYC, starting at 12pm ET. Then, on August 17, the fun moves to Abbot Kinney in LA, beginning at 11am PT.
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The campaign was ideated and developed by Death Machine, Liquid Death’s in-house creative studio.
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