From VICE News.
Shane sits down with Liquid Death Founder/CEO Mike Cessario to talk branding, politics, and the power of provocation. They dive into how Liquid Death turned Internet hate into a billion-dollar water brand, why execution matters more than ideas, and how cultural tension fuels marketing breakthroughs.
Cessario draws parallels between brand-building and political strategy, analyzing figures like Gavin Newsom, AOC, Trump, and Bernie Sanders through a marketer’s lens. They explore the dangers of brands playing it too safe, the role of advertisers as modern-day censors, and the shifting landscape of media in the age of AI, social virality, and meme culture.
Packed with war stories, from Brandy ventures to high-stakes Super Bowl ads, this episode is a masterclass in disruptive marketing, joined with part cultural commentary and banter between two media-savvy provocateurs.
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Shane Smith Has Questions
SSHQ is a dynamic, apolitical podcast hosted by Shane Smith dedicated to getting to the bottom of prominent instances of misinformation and disinformation while revealing the fascinating fundamental truths (if there are any?) of the most interesting and convoluted social and political issues of our time. In Season 1, Shane discusses many of today’s most important topics such as Immigration, Covid, Immortality, Trump, Elections, Space, and more!
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Chapters
00:00 Welcome, Mike Cessario!
01:36 The worth of an idea
07:53 Controlling Your Narrative
18:50 Shaping the Future of Political Messages
27:49 Turning Criticism into Success
34:38 The Brandy Revival Story
42:24 Who’s Winning at Branding?
50:52 Censorship, Lawfare, and Viral Ads
57:05 Brands as the New Censors
1:03:28 Final Thoughts, Social Media & the Future of Influence
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Why Playing It Safe Kills Brands ft. Mike Cessario | Shane Smith Has Questions https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZaT_X_mc0BI-djXOlfhqWQ/
