Brand collaborations are everywhere!
Co-branding is a smart and fruitful way to help both brands reach a wider audience while creating something new, valuable, and unique. It can be an effective strategy to build a business, boost awareness, and break into new markets. For a partnership to truly work, it has to be a win-win for all players in the game. There is no limit on what companies from different industries can come together to create.
“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.”
Henry Ford
Here, we gathered a series of the best brand collaborations of 2021 to inspire you.
1. Oreo & Pokemon: unique cookie campaign
Pokemon fan? Then you will love the one-off collab of Oreo and Pokemon 💙💛
In support of the partnership, you can hunt for all 16 unique cookies designed around your favorite Pokemon characters found in a limited edition pack. Fall in love with a promo video made entirely of Oreo cookies. Or visit the OOH art installation in Venice Beach Boardwalk in Los Angeles, featuring pixelate, 8,000 3D replicas of the limited-edition cookies.
This is the first time that Oreo has created a rarity-based promotion, where multiple of the character cookies are hard to find. Happy hunting 😋
Find out more 👉 https://bit.ly/3tFNPvE
2. Dove & The Body Shop unite to fight against animal testing
We love that Dove and The Body Shop have joined forces to raise awareness of the resurgence of animal testing in the EU 💚.
It is collaboration at its best to see these beauty giants use the size of their respective brands to call other companies into action. They have joined forces with 100+ animal protection agencies in Europe to end animal testing by asking EU citizens to sign a petition.
Other awareness initiatives include Nina Valkhoff being commissioned to create the disruptive mural in the center of Paris.
Find out what other means they used to raise awareness 👉🏼 https://bit.ly/3z1UKjX
3. Pepsi & Netflix collab turns the Heist gold
We think the first-of-its-kind co-branded tie-up between Pepsi and Netflix India is gold 🌟.
To target their younger market who mainly consumes content on OTT platforms – Pepsi is launching a series of marketing initiatives to promote the finale of Money Heist. Limited-edition golden cans and packs inspired by the series, a digital film featuring brand ambassador and Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff, and a grand virtual Money Heist fan party with entry via golden tickets – the gold can.
A solid gold marketing playbook to tap into the mania of the Heist.
Find out more 👉🏼 https://bit.ly/2YCunVi
4. Corona & Duolingo: correct Spanish pronunciation earns you a Limonada
Confident Spanish speaker and a Mexican limonada lover? Then you were in luck if you were in Las Vegas in August to catch this hilarious marketing stunt.
Corona USA set up a voice-activated kiosk that dispensed cans of Corona’s Hard Seltzer Limonada. If you could pronounce a question in Spanish, asking for the drink accurately – you received a free drink. If your pronunciation was off – you didn’t. But there was a backup prize. In partnership with the language app, Duolingo, you received a free month’s subscription to Duolingo Plus if your Spanish was a little off.
The antics to get the prize and the reactions – priceless. 😂
See the kiosk here 👉https://bit.ly/3BrDnLd
Or watch the video: https://buff.ly/3rSVV3p
5. Wendy’s & Rick and Morty: drive-thru installation and menu
Wendys showed their commitment to their partnership with Rick and Morty for the premiere of their latest season release 🤝 .
Wendy’s Panorama City store in California was turned into a humongous, immersive, drive-through, pop-up installation that fans flocked to from near and far and waited more than 7 hours to experience. And it didn’t stop there. The store name was changed to “Morty’s” and an exclusive menu reflecting some of the iconic food from the show was created 😲.
What a way to dive into the show’s universe 💚.
Check it out 👉https://bit.ly/3ygY7mB
6. Yeezy & Gap: “round jacket” sold out in record time
Did you know that the long-awaited launch of Yeezy Gap, the Gap and Kayne West co-lab, was so big it crashed their site? 😲
The key launch piece, a blue recycled nylon jacket dubbed the “round jacket”, sold out in record time (or so they thought)…
The advertising creative supporting this campaign was one of stark simplicity. The ad only shows the blue jacket and a QR code to place pre-orders. It was the execution and publicity surrounding the launch that pushed the sales sky-high 🚀 50,000 site visits to the site in the first 30 minutes – the most traffic ever recorded from a launch by Gap.
What a fantastic way to kick off the 10-year partnership 🌟.
Read on to find out more 👉🏼 https://buff.ly/35pqbID
7. IKEA & Animal Crossing: virtual edition of the catalogue
We love how IKEA Taiwan recruited 26 million players from the hottest video game, Animal Crossing, to create their new catalog 💚.
Ikea fans loved it too with 1.4 million clickthroughs to the online catalog in the first 24 hours with zero media spend 😲 .
Find out more 👉🏼 https://buff.ly/3wnAM2H
8. Champion & Tafi: custom 3D content for avatar and emoji systems
We love it when brands break from tradition – and Champion Teamwear has done just that but dropping its spring collection in digital form, through its ongoing partnership with Tafi 🔥 .
Gamers will now be able to dress their avatars in digital Champion apparel – showcasing their brand loyalty in the digital world as well as the physical world 💚 .
Find out more 👉 https://buff.ly/3uqcJyS
9. Pepsi & Peeps: marshmallow cola for spring
We love this super cute co-lab for peeps to kick-start spring 🐣 💛
PepsiCo and Just Born, Inc. have launched a new beverage that combines the taste of PEPSI cola with the PEEPS marshmallow flavor. Packaged in instantly recognizable PEEPS-inspired design in bright yellow, pink, and blue on mini-cans.
Just peepsi 😍
https://buff.ly/2QLAq62
10. Peeps & HIPDOT’s makeup collection
We love this sweet collaboration that was hatched by Just Born, Inc. their Peeps brand, and HIPDOT ahead of Easter this year 🐣
The limited-edition makeup collaboration takes inspiration from Peeps’ colorful, iconic marshmallow treats. Those who love the chick- and bunny-shaped marshmallows will love being able to apply their makeup with sponges that feature the same bright colors as the brand’s beloved sweet treats 🍭 🌈 .
Which one will you choose? https://buff.ly/3sjYWsK
Successful marketing collaborations can be a hugely beneficial strategy for your brand. So when identifying an ideal co-marketing partner, be sure to keep the examples above in mind which showcase the breadth of these relationships. We hope you have enjoyed our selection of winning collaborations, as much as we have enjoyed collating them.