Hades Goes to Hell in Liquid Death's Diabolical Ad About Plastics

Liquid Death will be damned if it’s going to let single-use plastics turn Earth into a hellhole, or even spill into the underworld.

Plastic bottles have overflowed into Hades in the canned-water brand’s new ad, clogging the sulfuric seas, choking the “three-headed demon fish” and assorted nefarious nasties.

“It’s polluting our 2,000-year-old torture pits, ruining the fun for everyone,” we’re told in the :90 below:

Whoa, it’s like they’re cursed or something!

Of course, a serious theme underpins the silliness, backing the brand’s “Death to Plastic” mantra. And you’ve gotta dig—in this case, very deeply—those infernally hokey visuals.

“There’s a lot of heart-wrenching messaging about the impacts of plastic pollution,” Liquid Death CEO and co-founder Mike Cessario tells Muse. “We don’t want to bring down anyone’s day. Instead, we’re sharing our message and spreading awareness in a fun, creative way.”

Shot in a single 20-hour day, the spot stars Stacy Kaney as the foremost four-horned fiend with a penchant for turning brains into snakes and gnarly-goth fashion sense.

“It was about 60 degrees down in that cave, even with all the lights we brought in,” recalls Matt Heath, co-founder and CEO at creative shop Party Land, which developed the online initiative with production house Reverie. “I’d complain about it, but then I think about Stacy being such a champion the whole time in that demon costume and makeup. Some heroes don’t wear capes. They wear demon prosthetics and skull shoulder pads.”

Aww, she’s really an angel after all!

Along with the campaign rollout, Liquid Death today announced nationwide availability at Whole Foods, $9 million in fresh funding, and a sparkling-water product extension—shipping in eminently recyclable aluminum cans, of course:

CREDITS

“Keep the Underworld Beautiful”

Client: Liquid Death

Agency: Party Land
Co-Founder/CEO/CCO: Matt Heath
Co-Founder/Manager: Haley Heath
Managing Director: Madison Gargan
Senior Producer: Jenny Jones
Copywriter: Cailey Jacoby
Art Director: Sarah Johnson

Production: REVERIE
Director: Jeff+Pete
Partner/Executive Producer: Rich Pring
Partner/Executive Producer: Cathleen O’Conor Stern

Production Service: Habitant Productions
Managing Partner: Santiago Lebrija
Managing Partner: Enrique Santos
Head of Production: Arturo Arroyo
Executive Producer: Marisela Caropresi
DP: Leo Calzoni
Art Director: Carlos Gamboa
Prosthetics/Makeup: Roberto Ortiz
Wardrobe: Maximiliano Patko

Edit: Cabin
Editor: Nick Deliberto
Managing Director: Carr Schilling
EP: Adam Becht & Remy Foxx
Producer: Katy Leste

VFX: Shape & Light
Creative Director: Rob Trent
Lead Flame: Paul Heagney
Flame Assist: Austin Lewis
EP: Cara Lehr
Producer: Arielle Weir

Color: Olio Creative
Colorist: Marshall Plante
EP: Natalie Westerfield

Sound & Mix: Barking Owl
Sound Designer & Mixer: Matt Keith
Creative Director: Kelly Bayett
Producer: Ashley Benton