In a move that’s equal parts bizarre, hilarious, and deeply cynical, canned water company Liquid Death has teamed up with NFL superstar Jason Kelce to launch a new ad campaign. The premise? They want your urine. Yes, you read that right. This isn’t just another quirky marketing stunt; it’s a commentary on the growing public unease surrounding AI data centers and their environmental impact.
The “We Want Your Pee” Campaign
The campaign features Kelce, known for his Super Bowl wins and now famously linked to Taylor Swift through his sister-in-law, explaining that AI data centers consume vast amounts of water. The solution? “We want your pee, to cool these data centers.” What follows is a 90-second musical extravaganza where Kelce, along with Liquid Death mascots and enthusiastic participants, belt out a catchy tune about the virtues of donating their urine. The visuals are… memorable, featuring mason jars filled with the aforementioned liquid, eagles getting involved (somehow), and even someone taking a swig of their own contribution – which happens to match the color of Garage Beer.
Liquid Death has built its brand on audacious marketing, from launching a tea-flavored canned water called Dead Billionaire (formerly Armless Palmer) to releasing a death metal album composed of hate mail and even sponsoring a dystopian game show in the recent movie remake. This latest campaign heralds the company’s foray into the energy drink market.
Garage Beer, co-owned by Travis and Jason Kelce, is a rapidly growing light lager brand now available at Red Robin restaurants. While data centers claim to be improving water usage efficiency, this campaign suggests that some of these claims might be more “PR fluff” than reality. Recent reports in the UK highlight concerns about insufficient water resources for planned data centers, while Reuters estimates that global data center water consumption will reach 4.5 trillion liters by 2025. Never mind the massive electricity consumption, component shortages, and potential economic instability all driven by the relentless pursuit of increasingly sophisticated AI.
So, if you’re feeling particularly rebellious (and have a mason jar handy), consider contributing to the cause. Liquid Death is even selling special-edition, lidded glass containers for your… donation, although they are currently sold out. While this is undoubtedly an advertisement, it reveals a lot about what companies believe will resonate with their audiences. The willingness to use a recognizable figure to playfully suggest that data centers are so problematic that people would willingly urinate on them speaks volumes about the shifting public perception of the trillion-dollar generative AI industry.
Source: Kotaku
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