How do brands play the collaboration game and win?
Collaborations have the potential to seriously enhance a brand’s reputation, but there now appears to be saturation, where an abundance of random partnerships have diluted the uniqueness and value once associated with them. Andy Paul, founding partner and managing director at London-based design agency The Cabinet, explores whether the explosion of brand collaborations has reached its peak.
In today's crowded alcoholic drinks space brands are striving for fresh, impactful ways to distinguish themselves and capture consumer attention. One prominent strategy is through brand collaborations. Partnering with a like-minded brand, fashion designer, public figure or even fast-food giant can create buzz, drive recruitment, boost sales and enhance loyalty. Why wouldn’t organisations strive to achieve more, for less, with different people and fresh perspectives?
But, with a myriad of collaborations flooding the market, and some questionable pairings, many collabs are seen as lazy, nothing more than background noise, or cheap-shot gimmicks. Savvy consumers know the difference between a tie-up that makes perfect sense and offers value, versus a blatant publicity stunt.
There was a time when the coming together of two distinct brands offered a host of compelling benefits to both collaborators. A new/combined narrative, innovation and added value, extended reach, enhanced brand image and greater credibility. All this, as well as opening doors for strategic growth and delivering marketing budget efficiencies, made brand alliances a surefire way of getting all-important cut through and sales. Yet, as brand collabs race ahead towards ubiquity, their effectiveness is diminishing. Scroll through any social media platform and you’ll see they’re ten-a-penny. The question now is whether brands can still find success in joining forces, or if this strategy needs reinvention.
The anatomy of a successful collaboration
Typically, brand partnerships stem from a shared vision, values or target audience. When two brands align, they can amplify each other's strengths, often going on to achieve greater success together, than alone.
While some brands use partnerships to reach consumers that otherwise might overlook them, others partner with brands outside of their own sphere as a way of getting consumers to see another side to them; the social, or political, or cultural causes they wish to be associated with.
Take Absolut Vodka, the true pioneer of brand collaborations, which for decades has joined forces with an array of renowned artists, musicians and global fashion icons, such as Marc Jacobs and Damien Hirst. Its strategy of partnering with creatives from all walks of life is a big part of its DNA, and it gives the brand the legitimacy to keep trying new things; delivering genuine surprise through co-creation, while avoiding superficial tie-ins that merely logo-slap. Brilliant execution is also a big part of that strategy, and in the visual world we now live in, what’s on a bottle is seemingly as important as what’s in it.
More recently Absolut’s ‘collective’ tie-in with Drag Race UK star Tayce, fashion designer Chet Lo and The Institute of Digital Fashion (IoDF), was aimed at “challenging existing stereotypes and perceptions of fashion to provide a vision for the future – a world where what you wear isn’t tied to gender, seasonal trends or religion”. A slight departure from earlier collabs that were centred on pack aesthetic, but nevertheless, with creativity at its heart and strong messaging and community support around it.
Since the start of its collab strategy, it has been every creative’s dream to craft a limited-edition Absolut bottle; with each one becoming highly anticipated, sought after and iconic. That its authentic approach has continued for so long, moving with the times to embrace different styles and different cultural moments, always with community and equality at its core, has helped the brand to stay as relevant today as it was when it first collaborated with Andy Warhol back in the ‘70s.
Expanding reach and enhancing brand image
To achieve success in the collaborations game, knowing your audience is key. Consider the recent partnership between Johnnie Walker Black Label and Netflix’s global phenomenon ‘Squid Game’ with its shocking twists and thought-provoking commentary on human inequality.
In the lead-up to the much-anticipated second season, premiering on Boxing Day, the coalition blends the sophistication of and desire for Johnnie Walker with the cultural cachet of one of Netflix’s biggest hits, through an exciting limited-edition release that seamlessly combines Johnnie Walker’s iconic brand assets – its distinctive square bottle and the globally recognised striding man – with the much hyped and visually arresting graphics and props of Squid Game, focusing on the distinctive tracksuit worn by the competitors of the game. Through the joint venture, Johnnie Walker benefits from heightened visibility through existing and alternative channels in the lead up to the release. It just so happens that the pre-Christmas timing is peak selling season, so that’s a double win. Squid Game fans too are rewarded with a tangible manifestation of their prized series, to enjoy as they sit back and watch the publicity building before 26th December.
Concentrating on the unique narrative and visual aesthetic of the show and delivering a collectible limited-edition bottle that embodies the visual style of the programme’s iconography, will certainly bring Johnnie Walker into the visual world of a younger demographic, through the more casual nature of the brand’s appearance and connection to the zeitgeist. While the whisky brand has been here before with Game of Thrones and Money Heist, it’s a clever move on… blending the hallowed institution of Johnnie Walker with contemporary culture that will be all over social media in the next couple of months, and bringing two audiences, with some crossover, together in viewing and drinking moments.
The importance of innovation and marketing
Successful collaborations hinge on innovation and effective marketing. A well-executed campaign can generate significant excitement and anticipation. This was the case for the Primark + Greggs athleisurewear collaboration in 2022. Boasting shared values of accessibility, relatability and being value driven offered up a match made in heaven.
There was a hint of what was to come initially, when Primark mannequins appeared holding vegan sausage rolls and steak bakes, creating intrigue and anticipation. The partners then revealed the tie-up with a film on a range of social channels, at the same time as releasing one image of the clothing range, helping to build excitement. Timing was everything and with celebrities and influencer fans getting behind the launch when it went viral, coinciding with a Gregg’s pop-up launching in Primark’s Birmingham store, extensive media coverage was generated, so that by the time the clothing range hit stores, 87% of the UK population had been reached with 203 million social media impressions. Unsurprisingly after this level of hype, the collection was a sell out in less than two days. In essence, the highly differentiated collab, with its heavy marketing push, created huge demand for a limited product that consumers just had to get their hands on.
Less obvious bedfellows perhaps, Heineken and the James Bond franchise’s approach to their partnership was different. They don’t have much audience crossover, and yet when Heineken wanted to appeal to a more sophisticated consumer, what better partner to jump into bed with than James Bond himself. For both contributors it’s been a steady build since 1997 when their relationship first began, with Heineken gaining credibility, new audiences and distinction from the proliferation of lagers on the market through its association with the stylish British film franchise.
With each movie release, 007 branded packs, bespoke ad campaigns and promotional tie-ins have gathered momentum, ultimately helping Heineken to expand its global audience, and attract more sophisticated drinkers. The James Bond franchise has almost certainly gained from the partnership, although no-one knows by quite how much…
Keeping it real
We’ve all seen it: Nike’s endless collabs, KFC teaming up with brands that appeal to teens, and more Barbie partnerships than Ken could shake a stick at. While some of these coalitions have found success, they often lack authenticity. Take Barbie, for instance. How many of its recent tie-ins has the brand shared common ground with? Beyond the hot-pink colour washing and the slapping on of a logo, we’d wager very few. Look at Burger King’s pink Barbie burger. Certainly, it caused an initial buzz, but the frenzy didn’t extend beyond Brazil where it was launched, proving it was more of a fleeting moment than a lasting trend.
That said, these quick-hit partnerships often work because they ride the wave of whatever’s trending, generating curiosity and publicity in the process. But the question remains: are they offering real value, or just cashing in on a moment?
Sustaining long-term success
So back to the question: are brand collaborations still worth the hype, or is their sparkle starting to fade as trends shift? Yes, partnering with a cooler, bigger, more sophisticated or better-established brand can still give you a leg up, even if some pairings don’t make a mark on history. And sometimes that's all you need – if the collaboration boosts sales and widens your audience, why worry about the legacy?
But the real magic of one-plus-one happens when partnerships feel genuine. When there's authenticity and a meaningful connection with audiences. That's when collaborations are remembered and respected. For brands to really stand out they need to be bold, take risks and seek out unexpected partners, particularly those that share similar values or audiences. This approach is crucial for winning over younger consumers who crave authenticity.
The days of playing it safe, choosing easy partnerships and logo-slapping just doesn’t cut it anymore. As consumers become more discerning, brands need to aim for partnerships that feel innovative and have a clear reason to exist. The secret to long-term success lies in creating alliances that offer something genuinely valuable, that align on shared values and tell a story that sticks.
In the end, brand collabs probably aren’t going anywhere, but only the ones that truly resonate with their audiences and do something different, will be the ones leaving a lasting cultural impression.
