Fall Collabs

There’s no one way to collab: many brands come up with original ideas, but there’s nothing wrong with borrowing from a season, an event, or even leaning into their natural communication cycle. Regardless of how it comes to be, a well-executed collaboration can help brands reset the marketing cycle and break out from the clutter of competitors’ communications. 

In the best cases, these breakout moments can become permanently aligned with the brand in customers’ minds. 

Here are five of the most-celebrated Fall collabs where brands gave their customers a real treat.

Mercedes Benz x Proenza Schoeler: Sustainable Luxury

Can you capture the great American road trip in a bag - without increasing your environmental footprint? That’s what Mercedes-Benz and New York-based fashion label Proenza Schouler set out to do with their Fall 2021 collaboration, The Power of Two. Mercedes-Benz had several goals with this capsule collection, including taking another step into the world of fashion, following their partnerships with the likes of Heron Preston and Virgil Abloh. What sets this collab apart from previous co-branding examples is its major focus on the brands' "shared values of sustainability and responsible production practices."

This exciting collab showcased Proenza Schouler's ability to source materials responsibly while retaining an element of luxury. The capsule collection featured recycled cashmere blankets alongside eco-friendly T-shirts, turtlenecks, bags, outerwear, and more. Each of the pieces was designed to “be loved and to last.” A powerful example of two brands aligning on a high-level values-based mission and executing at a detailed level - and doing so in an eco-friendly way.

Crate and Barrel x Shinola: A Shared Focus on Craftmanship

Build it well or not at all: the slogan on Crate and Barrel’s product pages for this collection nicely summarizes the collaboration strategy between the upscale housewares retailer and Detroit-based boutique watchmaker Shinola. The brand partnership revolves around the companies’ shared values of quality craftsmanship, practical-but-beautiful design, and an eye for detail.

"Detail" might actually be an understatement: the brands took two years to develop their original Fall 2021 capsule furniture collection. That collection's Runwell end table encapsulates what makes this collab special. Named for Shinola’s first watch model, the piece incorporates chronographic elements into its elegant design, including contrasting topstitching on the leather-wrapped top and a sling-style bottom shelf meant to evoke a watch band. The bottom shelf is even secured by metal beams intended to represent watch lugs.

Building a collaboration strategy around mutual design principles allowed these brands to connect with their shared audience in a unique and exciting way. The brands clearly still feel the positive collab energy: they’ve since released an expanded 115-piece collection for Fall 2022 that spans everything from furniture and light fixtures to housewares, gardening tools, and (of course) wall clocks.

Gant x Wrangler: Prep Style Meets Cowboy Chic

For many consumers, Wrangler embodies the American west with its denim-based offerings. Meanwhile, GANT has helped shape preppy style with its modern approach to design and definitive button-down shirts. So, when there's a partnership with brands as iconic as these, just about anything is possible. For this collab, Wrangler and GANT created a capsule collection they described as “East Coast prep meets the Wild West.”

The tagline for the collection is a great example of collaboration branding that clearly sets expectations for the target audience, and these brands delivered. The 30-piece collection takes a playful approach to the varsity sportswear trend, including bootcut jeans with varsity patches as well as a full-on varsity jacket with western embroidery details. This collab is a great example of two brands taking a fresh confident, sideways-glance approach to their strengths to re-engage with consumers.

Adult Swim x Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s: Give the Fans What They Want

Adult Swim and Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s have been collaborating for a while now. Their first outing in late 2014, a parody of the infamous Paris Hilton commercial for Carl’s Jr., featured Aqua Teen Hunger Force character Carl Brutananadilewski washing his car and eating hamburgers. Self-parody risks coming off inauthentic, but these brands knew their target audience would eat up the hilarious, totally unappetizing fun.

When the brands reconnected a few months later, they brought the titular duo of Adult Swim's Rick and Morty into their first-ever television commercial. At the time, fans anxiously awaiting a third season of the show were hungry for new content of any kind. So the brands gave their shared audience what they wanted: a quick hit of brand collaboration disguised as frantic Rick and Morty action, with super-scientist Rick filling his grandson Morty’s room with enormous, sentient hamburgers for some greasy shenanigans.

In Fall 2021, the brands upped the ante, with Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s offering toy versions of fan-favorite Adult Swim characters whenever customers purchased a special combo meal. Once again, the brand collaboration strategy here shows a deep understanding of their shared audience…and their sense of fun:

“You’re never too old for a Meatwad figurine,” said Tricia Melton, chief marketing officer, Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics at Warner Brothers (Adult Swim’s parent company).

For its part, Adult Swim hosted three “Happy-Thons” sponsored by Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s throughout October, featuring beloved shows from the late-night animation block’s vault. Adult Swim and Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s are a strong example of how building brand partnerships around a deep understanding of a shared target audience creates exciting collab energy that fans are eager to embrace. 

Goldfish x Dunkin': The Donut that Smiles Back

This fall, ubiquitous coffee chain Dunkin'  partnered with Pepperidge Farms to bring pumpkin-spiced goodness to their Goldfish graham crackers. Neither brand is a stranger to collaborations: in the past, Goldfish has worked with Frank’s RedHot sauce and OLD BAY to bring those flavors to their crackers. Meanwhile, Dunkin’ has paired itself with just about everyone from cosmetics companies to microbreweries (they’re on their fifth go-round with Harpoon Brewing).

So why fish-shaped pumpkin spice crackers, and why now? For Dunkin’, this brand partnership expanded its influence in the supermarket via Goldfish, a well-established and trusted brand in the snack food space. On top of that, Dunkin’ is always looking to fill its “innovation pipeline” with products that allow the company to re-engage with its target audience in new and unexpected ways. For Goldfish, partnering with Dunkin’ enabled them to leverage the coffee giant’s experienced team of chefs and research scientists to bring an iconic fall flavor to their customers for the first time.

Even for two experienced collaborators, it’s an unexpected brand partnership that's sure to reel in big sales from their shared audience this autumn. 

As these brands demonstrate, the success of a collab doesn’t necessarily depend on the originality of the pretext itself. What really matters is execution and authenticity - both to the brand and customers. With those elements in place, brands can set themselves up for a breakout moment that really sticks in customers’ minds, because in the end, it’s that breakout from the norm that gets attention. 

Think of it this way: which house are kids more likely to remember come Halloween - one giving out King Size candy bars or one handing out the same old candy?

As you look ahead to the holidays and beyond, are there ways a collab could get your customers to take another look at your brand? What else could a collaboration do that the usual channels struggle with?