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Brand collaborations have now risen to the top of a successful brand’s “to do” list, in order to generate hype and attract new customers. Customers today are highly engaged in all avenues of retail, entertainment, and lifestyle brands. Quite frankly, customers love a good brand collab. According to VP of communications of Lyst, Katy Lubin, customers are more engaged in brand collaborations that are one of a kind or a part of a limited production run, and especially cannot be found everywhere. In a world almost controlled by social media, brand collaborations that run on social media prove to be efficient in reaching their target audience. But, all collaborations are not as successful as others. Take a look at some of the examples and what makes them the best.
Cheetos and Forever 21
Cheetos and Forever 21 have come together to create an apparel line of clothing, accessories, and swimwear. This collection features Chester the Cheetah with bright orange fiery designs and is fairly priced. The most expensive item being $30, this collaboration fits nicely in the Forever 21 environment. This collaboration is brilliant because of the target audience that both brands share. Cheetos and Forever 21 have extremely similar target audiences, composed of young adults and teens in the same general age group that snacks on Cheetos. Overall this was a successful campaign, mostly due to the shared target audience with similar tastes.
McDonald’s and Burger King
As fast-food rivals, McDonald’s and Burger King came together under collaboration for a great cause in Argentina. In September of 2019, McDonald’s was raising money for childhood cancer in Argentina, and BK stepped in to help. For one day in Argentina, all sales of Big Macs went towards McDonald’s efforts in raising money. Throughout this same day, Burger King halted its sales of the Big Mac to eliminate any competition. Rivals coming together for the benefit of the community is a refreshing brand collaboration. Both brands have similar target audiences while promoting their own concern for the betterment of the ill. Burger King showed it’s selflessness, while McDonald’s began a mission to help those fighting cancer. Brilliant, and tugs on the heartstrings.
Sharpie and Nike
The Nike Airforce 1’s came out with a unique twist to the personalization of footwear. Already a luxury shoe, this collaboration makes customers feel at home with their new shoes. This collab began from Lebron James’ campaign “More Than an Athlete”, and wearers are encouraged to use a Sharpie marker sent with the shoe to write about themselves on their footwear. They are encouraged to write about what makes them unique, their hidden talents, their likes/dislikes and to tell their story. This partnership allowed customers to speak up and let their voice be heard. Sharpie and Nike provided a platform for customers to speak their truth, and let the world know who they really are.
Doritos and Taco Bell
Doritos and Taco Bell came together to put “Doritos Locos Tacos” on the menu at Taco Bell. The one billion customers who purchased a Doritos Locos Tacos from Taco Bell simultaneously created an additional 15,000 jobs for Taco Bell to adjust to the influx of demand. This brand collaboration was an instant success, because of its unique nature and the same sense of cuisine. Taco Bell and Frito Lay initially spoke about a brand collaboration years before it actually launched. It came from left field and took customers (and their taste buds) by surprise.
Uber and Spotify
Uber and Spotify came together to unite ride sharing and music sharing services from all over. After ordering a Spotify-enabled car from Uber’s services, customers are able to play their own Spotify playlist during their ride. Users can control the music through the Uber app or the Spotify app. This collaboration allows for customers to enjoy their rides and feel comfortable– a feeling that has become rare in ride-sharing experiences.
In the end, successful brand collaborations have similar things in common. They are unique, personalized, involve similar target markets, and create a new experience for customers. Successful brand collaborations don’t happen overnight and require vast research of both companies and who they serve. When applied properly, brand collabs bring the customer experience to a new level.
