Liquid I.V.

Over the last decade, Liquid I.V. has unlocked a new category of superior powdered hydration solutions, becoming the number one hydration brand in America. Following the launch of a total brand refresh featuring
 its new brand campaign, “Tear. Pour. Live. More.,” Liquid I.V. teamed up with ARM to leverage the power of audio to amplify its brand platform. Together, we set out to surprise and delight loyal Liquid I.V. customers and captivate a new generation.

To bring Liquid I.V. to audio, we saw an opportunity to transform traditional host-read ads into a more immersive brand experience. We partnered with Tenderfoot TV to seamlessly integrate Liquid I.V. with a new genre through the hit true crime podcast “Up and Vanished,” aligning the brand with an engaged and loyal audience.

Across several seasons, “Up and Vanished” had captivated listeners and grown a cult following by investigating true crimes, cold cases and unsolved disappearances. With the show’s fourth season set to take place in Nome, Alaska, ARM partnered with host Payne Lindsey to execute a highly produced, custom read for Liquid I.V. Unlike most podcast ad reads that disrupt and misalign with the narrative, we inserted the brand into the narrative itself. 

Payne seamlessly wove his ad read for Liquid I.V. into the show by sharing how he used the product to stay hydrated through life on the road – and in the elements – while researching and recording the season in one of America’s most rugged and remote destinations. The integrated brand placements even offered listeners a 20% discount on the product. From there, we extended the campaign with high-frequency, produced ad reads across nearly a dozen Tenderfoot TV properties, for broader reach and full-funnel impact.

Payne’s integrated host read became part of the storytelling, creating an immersive experience for the show’s listeners. By making the brand placement feel authentic and relevant, we enhanced its overall impact and memorability, while engaging with every one of the show’s 2.4 million listeners in two months.

The first-of-its-kind podcast integration garnered full-funnel impact and fostered authentic brand awareness, ad recall, positive affinity and purchases, exceeding revenue targets by over 80%. Over the two month partnership, Liquid I.V. saw almost half of conversions coming from audio alone, 10% above the podcast incrementality average. 

The show has continued to draw in followers and to be a strong performer for the brand. Social media followers even commented on the smoothness of the ad reads, reinforcing that the right partnership can take ads to new heights in a way that enchants the audience and corresponds to real, measurable full-funnel results.