Arizona named Liquid Death as its official iced tea.Â
Cayle Klein, left, plays cards with Taylor Klein and their friends at Chatterbox in Tekamah, Neb. on Friday, June 27, 2025. Arizona, Neb., near Tekamah, named Liquid Death the official iced tea of the township.
Not the state, but rather Arizona Township, Nebraska, about 50 miles north of Omaha in Burt County. The tiny township and Burt County are the backdrop of Liquid Death's latest marketing campaign.Â
Dan Murphy, Liquid Death’s senior vice president of marketing, said the campaign was a way to get their lesser-known iced tea products out there. The $1.4 billion beverage brand, established in 2017, is best known for its canned, flavored sparkling water and distinctive, edgy marketing.Â
Liquid Death started selling iced tea in 2023 and has since become an Amazon best seller, but Murphy said they don’t have the recognition of Arizona’s iconic 99-cent iced tea cans.Â
“We all know people associate canned iced tea with Arizona and we thought it would be funny to see if we could be the official iced tea of Arizona in some capacity,†Murphy said.Â
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Liquid Death initially considered becoming the official iced tea of the State of Arizona, which would have required passing a bill through the Legislature. In 2019, a teenager in Arizona spearheaded efforts to make lemonade the state’s official drink.Â
Instead of going that route, Murphy’s team found three towns named Arizona, in Texas, Louisiana and Nebraska.
Murphy, who grew up in Omaha and graduated from Creighton Prep in 1998, decided the Nebraska township of 278 people was their “top pick†because of his ties to the state. His mom, Colleen Quinn, still lives in Omaha and runs the Funny Bone Comedy Club.Â
The three-person Arizona Township Board unanimously voted last month to make Liquid Death its official iced tea.Â
Tim Gregerson, a lifelong Arizona Township native and board member, tried the tea and shared his thoughts with The World-Herald.Â
“I was surprised how refreshing it tasted,†he said.Â
Gregerson and Burt County officials said they’re hopeful the advertisement can spur economic development in the area.Â
As part of the campaign, Liquid Death gave the Burt County Economic Development Corporation $30,000. The money will fund , according to Cindy Chatt, Burt County Economic Development Corporation executive director.Â
“It seemed like a really good opportunity to spread the word about Tekamah, Burt County, even Arizona,†she said.Â
The Arizona iced tea brand has no direct ties to the state. Don Vultaggio, a co-founder, started the brand in 1992 in New York City and chose the name Arizona, as it evoked a , he told CNN Business in 2022.Â
Top Journal Star photos for June 2025
Spectators use their phones to capture photos of a 1975 Kawasaki motorcycle being lifted from the World's Largest Time Capsule on Thursday in Seward. After almost 50 years, the time capsule was opened by the daughter of the man who designed it.
A small sail boat sits on land as the class sails around the lake during an Intro to Small Boat Sailing class on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at Holmes Lake Park in Lincoln.
Tasnin (from left) and Rtaj Kaddah help Mohammad Kaddah with a large fish he caught on Wednesday at Holmes Lake Park.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate Joey Willette, who recently received their doctorate, composed a 31-minute piece of music titled the "Mass of Perpetual Indulgence," which stirred controversy after an article about it appeared on a conservative website.
Ryan Hernandez stands in front of an LED screen at Lincoln Industries on Tuesday.
A pair of house sparrows work to improve their nest located inside an "e" of the Westlake Ace Hardware sign off of 48th and Vine streets on Monday in Lincoln. House sparrows are known for their tendency to nest in close proximity to humans, often making use of buildings, eaves and other structures. Birds will often repair old or existing nests. With the weekend heat in the past, a stormy week of partial showers comes into focus.
Hannah Ashburn stands Thursday in front of the mural she painted at a bus transfer station at 11th and L streets. Ashburn, a regular StarTran user and artist, painted the artwork pro bono after a Lincoln Transportation and Utilities employee approached her with the idea.
Spectators watch a vintage vehicle speed up the track for the hill climb event during the biannual International Speedsters Trials and Reunion on Friday, June 20, 2025, in Lincoln.
Jonathan Pena throws water from a bowl at Dominic Pena at the Trago Park sprayground on Friday in Lincoln.
Zoo Camper Molly Minert cools off by laying in the water of the splash zone at the Lincoln Children's Zoo on Friday, June 20, 2025, in Lincoln. The surpassed 100 degrees for the first time this year Friday, the official start of summer.
Chicago trumpet player Lee Loughnane performs onstage at the Pinewood Bowl Theater on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, in Lincoln.
Show attendees hold out tips for Versayce Kennedy during a Juneteenth drag show at Das Haus on Thursday, June 19, 2025, in Lincoln.
Anaya Agarwal, Avya Agarwal and Sanvi Manchikalapati (from left) perform cartwheels in front of the Balloon "Retro" during the Hot Air Balloon Festival held at Brenner Field on Friday in Falls City.
US Bank carries a pride flag at the parade past the Capitol during the Star City Pride Parade on Saturday.
Tony Goodnow (first right) and Samantha Hendrix check the integrity of the balloon "Hocus Pocus" during the Hot Air Balloon Festival held at Brenner Field on Friday, June 13, 2025, in Falls City.
Nicole Russo (right) works with first graders (from left) Aricela Ramos Velasquez, Nayler Moo Soe and Veronika Liutoslav during a summer school math class at Elliott Elementary School on Friday.
Protesters cross along North 13th Street during a No Kings Day protest that lined O Street for over seven blocks on Saturday.
Milwaukee Milkmen's Glenn Santiago (4) reacts as Lincoln Saltdogs' Danny Bautista (19) celebrates reaching second base in the third inning at Haymarket Park on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, in Lincoln.
Maci Alcorn (back) descends a ladder after adding her handprint to a mural in the Silver Street Tunnel in Ashland as Hunter Alcorn (front, from left) braces for his hand to be covered in white paint by mother Tiffany Alcorn and sister McKinley Alcorn on Thursday.
Dick and Miriam LeBlanc, who have been married for 60 years, have volunteered as ushers at the Lied Center for Performing Arts for nine. After attending one of their first performances at the Lied Center, the LeBlancs saw an advertisement to become ushers and eagerly took up the opportunity.
Wahoo High School's Clara Sherman jumps during an event hosted by Brigata Training that allowed area cheerleaders to showcase their skills on Friday at Lincoln Southwest High School.Â
Members of the No Coast Junior Derby warm up by skating around a track outlined in tape at the Lincoln Sports Foundation facility on Wednesday. Beginning in August no roller sports will be allowed at the facility because of planned floor renovations.Â
A person uses an umbrella to shield themselves from the rain as they make their way across Tower Square on Tuesday. Areas of Lincoln generally saw about 0.5 to 0.75 inches of rain Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures Tuesday hovered in the 50s and low 60s. Wednesday is expected to be warmer with a high of 76 called for.Â
ChefauChef CEO Aaron Young (right) and other workers assemble Wham Bam Meal in a Pan chicken biryani boxes on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at ChefauChef in Lincoln.
Nebraska state senators cheer after a group photo was taken Monday at the Capitol. The legislative session ended Monday after 89 days of lawmaking that began in January.
Flanked by supporters, legislators and Nebraska volleyball player Rebekah Allick (from left) and softball player Jordyn Bahl, Gov. Jim Pillen (center) signs a copy of LB89 during a press conference in the Governor’s Hearing Room at the Capitol on Wednesday.Â
Evalyn Schluckebier (left) and Logan Schluckebier pretend to get ready for the day during a staging shoot at the restored mid-century modern home at 5941 Margo Drive in the Eastridge neighborhood.
Brecken Gasseling climbs into a sculpture as service attendees and their pets mingle on Sunday, June 1, 2025, at First-Plymouth Church.
