Rock legend Ozzy Osbourne is officially a part of the collector culture. Liquid Death recently released a limited set of iced tea cans containing trace amounts of the 76-year-old singer’s DNA.
The cans sold out within hours of being listed online on Tuesday, June 17.
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The ‘Infinite Ozzy’ drop
In the campaign, Osbourne drank from 10 cans of Liquid Death’s iced tea line. Afterward, each can was crushed, sealed, and signed. The drink company claims the cans still contain traces of the Prince of Darkness’ DNA.
They were marketed as “Infinite Ozzy,” priced at $450 apiece, and came in clear laboratory-style containers.
According to Liquid Death’s site, buyers are warned that “when technology and federal law permits, you’ll be able to replicate Ozzy Osbourne and enjoy him for hundreds of years.” However, the fine print also notes: “DNA integrity and cloning results not guaranteed.”
Ozzy’s mutant genes may have helped him survive his past
The campaign could tap into Osbourne’s legendary resilience. In 2010, scientists discovered a rare gene mutation in Osbourne’s genome after Nathaniel Pearson sequenced it. The study found that Osbourne may absorb drugs and alcohol differently from the average person.
Pearson said during a 2010 TED Talk that Osbourne is six times more likely to develop alcohol dependency. He also found Osbourne to be more prone to hallucinations from marijuana use.
Despite a decades-long struggle with substance abuse — including rehab more than a dozen times, four spinal surgeries, and a Parkinson’s diagnosis — Osbourne remains remarkably healthy.
He once claimed to have consumed 28 gallons of alcohol in a single year and quit acid after taking so much that he once talked to a horse for an hour. Though he was sober for decades starting in 1985, he admitted during an episode of “The Madhouse Chronicles” podcast in 2024 to occasionally using marijuana for health reasons.
As wife Sharon Osbourne joked during the TED Talk, “At the end of the world, there will be roaches, Ozzy and Keith Richards—because he’s going to outlive us all.”
Celebrity marketing is trending
Liquid Death’s marketing stunt follows a string of over-the-top celebrity DNA merchandise drops.
On June 6, Dr. Squatch released “Sydney’s Bathwater Bliss,” a limited-edition soap in collaboration with actress Sydney Sweeney. The soap was advertised as containing her actual bathwater.
Sweeney joked that fans kept asking for her bathwater after a previous Dr. Squatch ad, so they kept it. All 5,000 bars, originally priced at $8, sold out quickly. One bar is now being auctioned on eBay for $1,499.
A few years earlier, musician Lil Nas X collaborated with prank company MSCHF to create “Satan Shoes,” each containing a drop of human blood. The shoes were decorated with inverted crosses and featured the Bible verse “Luke 10:18,” referencing Satan’s fall from heaven.
Liquid Death may be raising more capital
A Wednesday report from The Information suggests that Liquid Death is seeking to raise up to $250 million in fresh funding. The beverage company has made a name for itself with edgy branding and high-profile partnerships.
The “Infinite Ozzy” campaign appears to be the latest example of Liquid Death pushing boundaries — and tapping into the strange new era of celebrity collectibles.
