One of Liquid Death’s popular beverages, which was rebranded in 2023, is going away. The company’s “Armless Palmer” tea and lemonade blend, which cleverly played on the name of the iconic golfer Arnold Palmer, underwent a permanent change. This change came after legal pressures from powerful entities associated with the late sports legend’s estate. As a result, the distinctive “Armless Palmer” cans will soon begin disappearing from store shelves.
Liquid Death, known for its edgy marketing and unconventional approach to selling canned water, introduced the “Armless Palmer” earlier in 2023 as part of its expansion into flavored beverages. The product name was a cheeky nod to Arnold Palmer, the golfing great credited with popularizing the combination of iced tea and lemonade. However, the company’s playful branding strategy hit a snag when it received a cease-and-desist letter regarding the use of the Palmer name.
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In response to this legal challenge, Liquid Death rebranded the beverage as “Dead Billionaire.” The company took to social media to announce the change, explaining the situation to its followers.ย They stated, “If you enjoyed our Armless Palmer concoction, you’re going to be thrilled with our new Dead Billionaire blend. Why? Because it’s identical in every way, except now it boasts a far more provocative title that won’t entangle us in a pointless legal skirmish.”
The Instagram post went on to describe the opposition as “a formidable corporation who dispatched a missive declaring we couldn’t utilize the word ‘Palmer’ and who are also aligned with a beverage industry giant. Both of whom possess substantially deeper pockets for legal expenses than we do.” This thinly veiled reference likely points to the Arnold Palmer estate and its partnership with AriZona Beverages, which has been mass-producing the official Arnold Palmer branded drink since 2002.
Liquid Death’s founder and CEO, Mike Cessario, has managed to find a silver lining in this rebranding debacle. In a statement to Forbes, he claimed that the media attention generated by their social media post about the legal threat has saved the company approximately $1 million in advertising costs.
The transition from “Armless Palmer” to “Dead Billionaire” is already in motion. The revamped cans have begun appearing on Amazon, and Liquid Death has announced that the new packaging will start populating retail shelves this year. As the rollout progresses, consumers can expect to see the “Armless Palmer” cans gradually vanishing from stores, potentially becoming sought-after collector’s items. The company humorously predicted “potential brawls in stores as customers vie for the remaining Armless Palmer cans before they become extinct and potentially resell as collector’s items for exorbitant sums.”
However, not everyone is amused by Liquid Death’s rebranding strategy. The new name has sparked controversy on social media platforms, with many critics arguing that “Dead Billionaire” is in poor taste. Detractors have pointed out Arnold Palmer’s significant philanthropic contributions and his impact on the sport of golf, suggesting that the new moniker is disrespectful to his legacy.
Arnold Palmer achieved considerable financial success during his lifetime. At the time of his passing in September 2016, Forbesย estimated his inflation-adjusted career earnings to be a staggering $1.3 billion. This figure placed him among the highest-earning athletes in history, trailing only behind golf phenom Tiger Woods and basketball legend Michael Jordan.
The “Armless Palmer” saga is just the latest chapter in Liquid Death’s short but eventful history. Founded in 2019, the Santa Monica-based company has rapidly carved out a niche in the saturated bottled water market through its heavy metal-inspired branding and humorous marketing campaigns. Liquid Death is also backed by notable investors, including Live Nation and celebrities such as comedian Whitney Cummings.
