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Creative Bloq
Creative Bloq
Technology
Tom May

Many famous brands fail to go global, and I think I know why

United States Starbucks Tesco Best Buy United Kingdom Walmart
Two tall cans of "Liquid Death" water, one black sparkling and one white mountain water, with a gold logo of a melting skull, set against a backdrop of snowy mountains.

I'm sorry, but I can't stay quiet any more. I've watched too many household names on both sides of the pond waltz into new territories with misplaced confidence… only to retreat months later with a hefty hole in the balance sheet. And honestly? The mistakes are always the same.

Take Liquid Death, the canned water brand that's made millions in the US with edgy punk-rock packaging and slogans like "murder your thirst". Brilliant in Brooklyn. Baffling in Basingstoke. They launched in the UK in 2023, scraped together £2 million in sales over 18 months, then packed it in early 2025. Why? Because British consumers looked at a £5.50 four-pack of water—water—and thought, "nah mate, you're alright: I've got a tap."

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