The Five Keys To Killer Brand x Brand Collabs

From big sneaker brands like Adidas to small skincare brands like Curie, brands of all kinds are collaborating more than ever before, and for good reason!

Collaborations show your customer’s what you're all about, and if you do them well, they will dramatically increase your brand's revenue, reach, and reputation. 

At Covalent we are fierce advocates of the value of brand x brand collabs and brand partnerships to drive business growth faster and farther. To help you set your collab compass we’ve listed five keys to collaboration stardom, along with examples of brands that used them so you can model them to get more from collab game.

‍Key #1: It’s about customers

Your customers aren’t just the people who buy your products—they’re also your biggest fans, supporters, and advocates. They determine the success of your collaboration, so they should be your top priority from the moment you begin to brainstorm your collaboration concept. Customer experience can be the first casualty of the excitement to collaborate with another brand. But it shouldn’t be. If it doesn’t serve your customers, then ultimately it won’t serve you.

A great example:

Eva Air x Hello Kitty is an unlikely collaboration that prioritized creating an exciting customer experience.

Traveling can be stressful—even when you're on vacation. To make plane rides more enjoyable, these brands partnered to create Hello Kitty themed aircrafts that showcased adorable animated characters on both the exterior and interior of the planes. 

This thoughtful collaboration put Eva Air on the map, and over ten years later, it continues to brighten the lives of weary travelers.

‍Key #2: Have Clear and Matched Business Objectives 

Collaborations are a two-way street: if you plan to succeed, you must also plan for your partner to succeed. If one brand's goals are unclear, both brands suffer.

The best way to align your brands’ objectives is to focus on the shared audience. 

How will your brand reach your shared audience?

How will your partner’s brand reach your shared audience? 

A great example: 

Hoka and Outdoor Voices played off each others’ strengths in order to achieve a common goal: to connect with customers who wanted to incorporate athletic wear into their everyday wardrobes. 

Outdoor Voices had a large platform, but no footwear. Hoka had an athletic sneaker that was stylish enough for everyday use.

The pair collaborated on an exclusive collection that combined Hoka's high-tech sneakers with Outdoor Voice's signature color scheme. The collection was an instant success—Outdoor Voice’s large audience drove Hoka sales through the roof, and Hoka's emphasis on sport performance helped Outdoor Voices strengthen their athletic brand image.

Key#3: Your Collab Must Have A Clear Point

Collabs derive much of their power from the messages and meaning they can ‘show’ customers above and beyond what brands can ‘tell’ them through advertising, emails and offers. 

Customers are more likely to engage, invest in, and advocate for your brand when they believe your message is speaking to them in unique ways.

Knowing who your target audience is can help you develop a message that will resonate with them. Consider which media outlets they'll use to get your message and when the best time is for them to get it.

A great example:

Refinery 29 X Eloquii teamed up to send a heartfelt message to a specific demographic: young, plus-size women. With limited sizing options at fashion-forward stores, shopping can be a unsettling experience for this group. 

To solve this problem, the brands reached out to over 1,000 plus-size women and asked them directly what they wanted from their wardrobe. They used their audience’s answers to create the first crowdsourced plus-size clothing collection. 

By showing genuine care for their target customers, the brands ensured their success before they began.

Key#4: Your Collaboration Must Excite a New Emotion

Collaborations must inspire customers to do something, and for customers to do something they must first feel something. The type of emotional experience you create for your customers depends on the relationship you want them to have with your brand. 

Having a partner can help you amplify an existing emotional experience or create an entirely new experience for your customers. 

Great examples: 

Clinique and Crayola evoked joy and nostalgia by reimagining the process of applying makeup. The two made Clinique's Chubby Stick Lipsticks look like a pack of colorful crayons. This collaboration gave customers a way to experience makeup as art with the sensation of drawing on their faces…just as they did as kids.

Calm and Gravity created a multisensory experience for their customers, but instead of exciting them, they set out to provide them with a restful night's sleep. The brands crafted the ultimate experience of tranquility by offering a free year-long Calm subscription with the purchase of a weighted blanket.

In both cases, the brands reinforced their identity and mission through partnerships that enhanced the customer experience through new emotions. 

Key#5: Your Collaboration Must Be Authentic

Choose brand partners who can positively contribute to your brand, whether through a shared mission, shared values, or a shared customer profile. 

When you pick a partner that complements your brand, customers will be able to see your brand as part of a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. This will reinforce your brand identity and strengthen your message. 

Plus, the more you demonstrate partnership energy vs simple ‘synergy’, the more brands will want to work with you, and the closer you'll be to brand collaboration stardom. 

A great example: 

The energy between Patagonia Provisions and Dogfish Head is enough to start a movement for the greater good. Both Patagonia’s food brand and the Delaware-based brewery share in the commitment to sustainable innovation. This spring, the two teamed up to launch Kernza Pils, a beer that’s healthy for the planet!

Made from the perennial kernza grain, which draws carbon from the atmosphere, this beer marks a huge step forward in sustainable brewing practices. 

Drinkers not only enjoyed their beer, but they also felt a greater appreciation and admiration for both brands' innovative efforts. That’s the kind of win-win situation that only brand x brand collaborations can deliver.

Brands grow faster when they grow together. 

United by a common purpose, with aligned and understood goals and a commitment to create a worthwhile and meaningful new lens on your brands, collabs are the way to cut through the noise, and divide the work while multiplying your returns.