The Rise of Brand Partnerships

From ice cream-inspired Ben and Jerry’s Nike sneakers to avocado-shaped beauty sponges to pink and green Lady Gaga Oreos to the new BTS McDonalds meal, brand partnerships have been super popular lately. What is it about these collaborations that excite us so much? Simply put, consumers love to see two of their favorite brands collide to make something new! However, there’s a lot more to add, so we did a deep dive to explain this phenomenon and its newfound success. 

• Partnership’s don’t have the cons that come with digital ads: 

Digital advertising, although it can be effective, is over-saturated and comes with many downfalls. Slower load times on web pages and the pausing of videos have resulted in many consumers turning to ad blockers. Therefore, digital ads aren’t the best way to get to the heart of your target audience. 

• Building trust: 

As consumers became more irritated with digital ads, they began to turn to their peers for recommendations instead. Advertisers caught on and used partnerships to fulfill consumers’ desire to rely on people, influencers, and brands they already trust when making purchasing decisions. 

• Power to change perceptions: 

Partnerships allow brands to be perceived differently. Many brands want to be perceived as exciting, fun, and innovative. Hence the rise in celebrity-inspired McDonald’s meals and brand-themed colorful Nike sneakers. A once thought of “standard” brand like McDonald’s is now known for its unique take on offering custom-made meals inspired by some of the most popular influencers around the world! 

• Reaching new audiences:

If your brand is seeking to expand its audience of consumers, partnerships are the way to go! Partnering with another brand that has a similar target audience will generate buzz and name recognition.

• Partnerships are a proven success: 

To give you a sense of just how successful brand partnerships are, a Rolling Stone article states that the social content announcing McDonald’s partnership with Travis Scott trended #1 and #2 simultaneously on Twitter and in the top 3 on YouTube. The BTS partnership announcement drove record-breaking engagement on McDonald’s social channels while trending on Twitter worldwide. Now that’s a lot of people talking about a ten-piece nugget, medium fries, and two sauces, but people love it! Partnerships aren’t something that is seen at just face value. People see it as a way to connect and build a relationship with their favorite brands and influencers. 

Do you geek out as much as we do when a new brand/influencer partnership is announced? We were first in line to try the new BTS sauces. If we have learned one thing from this new partnership trend, it’s that consumers are hungry for not just chicken nuggets and sauces but also relationships. They want to see their favorite brands tell a unique story that appeals to their interests. We hope you carry this with you in all your future marketing endeavors. 

Grova Creative is a woman, minority, and veteran-owned agency headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida, and works with clients all across the United States. If you are a business or organization seeking help with advertising, marketing, branding, messaging, marketing, strategy, website development, or other creative assets, visit grova.com.