Making magic: what makes a good brand collaboration?
Brand collaborations are hotter than ever, but how do you ensure they’re more than just a gimmick?
Brand collabs have been on the rise for the past few years, and 2024 has been no different. From autumn’s exciting new fashion pairings, such as Gap x Cult Gaia and the already-sold-out M&S x Bella Freud line, to the Wicked film’s collaborations with everyone from Starbucks to Pernod Ricard, brand collaborations are inescapable.
You can easily see why: they can create excitement and build a feeling of anticipation, providing brands with the ability to open up to new audiences, tap into new occasions and expand beyond their traditional market. It’s a win-win for all involved, surely?
But not every collaboration is able to capture that sparkle, and as more collabs saturate the market, it’s crucial to know what actually makes a brand partnership stand out. Among a sea of new pairings, what makes a winning combination? What makes a person think “I have to get my hands on that”?
More than the sum of its parts
The most successful collaborations are the ones that go beyond expectations, offering something exciting that people haven’t seen before. Ice cream and shoes aren’t an obvious combination but 2020’s Nike x Ben & Jerrys limited release was a surprise hit, even now the sold-out trainers’ resell prices can fetch up to $3,000. Lego is another brand that really understands this. It’s ongoing collaborations with Adidas evoke a sense of playfulness and creativity: the Originals Superstar LEGO shoes came with Lego brick attachments that users can swap and customise. The collabs not only appeal to younger Lego fans but also adults nostalgic for the joy of play.
Beauty brands have also successfully tapped into nostalgia with their collaborations: Clinique’s partnership with Crayola brought back the fun of crayon colouring except this time on the lips, while MAC’s Disney-themed makeup lines have been sell-outs.
These collaborations succeed because they push the edges of the imagination and deliver something greater than what either brand could do alone: a dose of nostalgia in your make-up bag or a trainer that evokes a childhood sense of fun.
Blending high and low culture
There is a big appeal in collaborations that offer general consumers a taste of premium experiences or bring a high-end brand a wider audience. This year H&M celebrates 20 years of successful designer collaborations, each line a sell-out, starting with the iconic Karl Lagerfield x H&M line in 2004. According to one of the Chanel designer’s biographers it was “the moment that Karl turned from being an important designer into an international superstar”. That’s the beauty of a high-low collaboration: it allows a company such as H&M to give its customers access to designs that would usually be unaffordable and, at the same time, extends the reach and awareness of the designer or premium brand. The brand’s collaborators over the years haven’t just been big names like Balmain and Versace. As H&M’s chief creative advisor Ann-Sofie Johansson told Vogue: “You have to have the feeling for when something is kind of on the rise, when we think our customers are ready for it, and to really capture the zeitgeist”, which has led to collabs with designers like Erdem and Maison Martin Margiela.
High-low brow combinations aren’t confined to fashion either: last year the Pringles x The Caviar Co sell-out snack collab became a viral sensation, while the Nespresso’s collaboration with the high-end British department store Liberty was hailed for its stylishness.
What’s important is to consider is how this kind of collaboration can raise a brand’s ceilings or create new opportunities in premium segments. The best high-low collaborations touch on the allure of offering something that usually feels out of reach for their consumers.
So, look at the brand’s strata: what’s the pillar that the brand operates in, what does the brand do really well, and then what’s that aspirationational plane to get to.
What are you trying to achieve?
Collaborations can end up costing a lot of money, so before embarking on one, it’s crucial to set out exactly what you want to achieve. Are you trying to surprise your current audience? Or bring in new audiences? A collaboration needs a goal: whether it’s building awareness, driving sales, or repositioning.
Take, Adidas x Gucci. The collaboration wasn’t just about merging sportswear with high fashion, but also about repositioning Adidas in the luxury space. It allowed the sports brand to access a wealthier, more fashion-conscious audience. In contrast, Crocs x Post Malone, brought a sense of fun and counterculture to an already casual brand, tapping into the pop star's fanbase.
You need to ask: does this help elevate the brand? Does it bring something new or exciting to the table? If it’s just more of the same, it risks being forgotten.
Will the magic wear off?
Collaborations should feel authentic. You don’t want to come across as money-grabbing to new consumers or alienate your current ones. Don’t dilute the brand—add to it. The danger of over-collaboration is real: at what point did all those Barbie collaborations start to feel like overkill, and is the same going to happen with Wicked and its multitude of partnerships ahead of the movie’s release? Over-saturation can make even the most innovative partnerships feel tired.
Balance the excitement of collaboration with careful curation. Successful brand partnerships are ones that not only excite and delight but also feel like a natural fit for both brands involved.