Best Brand Collaborations of 2019
It’s no secret that brand collaborations are an incredible, effective way to grow a business, build buzz, increase sales & even shift brand perception through clever alignment. 2019 gave us some pretty incredible brand collaborations, so we asked some of the CollaboTeam to round up their favourites for inspiration, insights & WHY we love them so much.
Jess
WHO: Airbnb x Barbie
WHAT: Airbnb listed a no detail spared, Barbie Malibu Dreamhouse on their site. Available for only 1 stay, over 2 nights.
TYPE: Experiential & Social Media
WHY IT WAS AWESOME:
- Plays on nostalgia
- Executed to perfection
- A fully immersive experience
- Additional integrated collabs with celebrities/experts
- A charity element with some proceeds being donated
- Strong, on brand messages throughout the collab
- Extremely limited availability, encourages FOMO/hype
Kendrick
WHO: HaloTop x QT Hotels Queenstown
WHAT: Halo Top (AKA ice cream) themed rooms at the QT Hotel in Queenstown. Included themed room decor, Halo Top cocktails and a custom Halo Top room service menu
TYPE: Experiential
WHY IT WAS AWESOME:
- Amazing content opportunities
- Highly shareable
- Limited time with availability across July-August only
- So many branded take home goodies for the guests
- Maintains QT's quirky design while injecting Halo Tops fun brand
- Ice cream in general, we love anything about ice cream
Gabby
WHO: Jimmy Brings x Spotify
WHAT: Limited edition wines which connect with curated playlists, perfectly paired by a 'Songmelier'. With a scan code on the bottles to unlock the tunes.
TYPE: Product / Social
WHY IT WAS AWESOME:
- Interactive and fun for customers
- Limited edition wine to push sales (FOMO factor)
- Coincided with a launch into a new market to create buzz
- On point creative direction including amazing copy
- Included Australian TV personality Kate Peck in the campaign
- Included the Jimmy Brings co-founders in the campaign
- Three very different wines so there was something for every taste
Claire
WHO: Urban Decay x Game of Thrones
WHAT: Makeup brand Urban Decay collaborated with Game Of Thrones to bring fans a limited edition vault with products inspired by the show and the characters.
TYPE: Product
WHY IT WAS AWESOME:
- Gives GOT fans a way to commemorate their favourite show, without buying tacky merch or something 'childish'
- Collectors edition, limited run. majorly FOMO inducing
- Not only colour themes and names, but makeup tools shaped like some of the famous weapons were included too
- High shareability on socials and throughout the beauty community
Kiran
WHO: Paolo Sebastian x Disney
WHAT: A fashion collections and runway show designed by Paul Vasileff of Paolo Sebastian inspired by Disney, in particular the hugely popular movie franchise Frozen
TYPE: Product & Event
WHY IT WAS AWESOME:
- Disney for adults, feeding on nostalgia
- Execution was luxe feeling, not childish
- It's ongoing, this was the second collab from the two brands
- The creative direction transfered well onto the runway event
- Disney is close to the designers heart, adding a beautiful layer of authenticity and meaning
- An opportunity for both brands to reach new audiences
- The collab is apparent, while still being subtle and classy
Tin
WHO: OpenTable x Hinge
WHAT: Dating app, Hinge partnered up with restaurant reservation platform, OpenTable to make date night a breeze! Customised restaurant recommendations based on budget, mood & location for a first date, within the app.
TYPE: Product - Online
WHY IT WAS AWESOME:
- Who needs restaurant ideas based on budget & vibe? Practically everyone using Hinge. This partnership was perfect because it really considered the brands' shared target markets & their existing in-app habits.
- It added value to their audiences in a big way, & allowed them both to reach new customers in a seamless, gamified way.
Brad
WHO: Netflix’s Stranger Things x Baskin Robbins
WHAT: Baskin Robbins rebranded much of their packaging to 'Scoops Ahoy' which was the fictional ice cream parlour in the show. This was supported with 6 limited edition flavours, influencer marketing, challenges and so much more.
TYPE: Product & Experiential
WHY IT WAS AWESOME:
- Supporting challenges to find 'codes' were both digital and on products, which means it drove excitement AND sales
- Limited edition helps create urgency and FOMO
- Executed when Stranger Things was at peak hype
- 'Scoops Ahoy' even featured on UberEats as a restaurant
- International campaign for max coverage
- America even created a 100% Scoops Ahoy branded food truck which looked like a ship, that people could eat in
Nick
WHO: Hey Tiger x Claire Ritchie
WHAT: When Hey Tiger released their new vegan range of milk & dark chocolate, they did it in style by partnering with artist, Claire Ritchie. Nostalgic, fun prints made this range extra tasty & the perfect gift.
TYPE: Product
WHY IT WAS AWESOME:
- Bold prints didn't compromise on either brands' style
- Opportunity to extend Claire Ritchie's work into food
- Local collab between two Melbourne based businesses
- Stunning content
- Boxes come with a postcard about the collaboration, telling a story
- Chocolate + artwork? A perfect match.
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