Picture this: It’s late at night and the only thing visible is the warm light from your refrigerator. You are standing with a big tub of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream – the chunky, delectable kind that wants to make one immediately smile. While you indulge in this delightful treat, sneakers might be the last thing on your mind. You would never think to combine them both and make a collaboration out of it. 

However, one of the most profitable success stories of branding and collaborations goes exactly like this. This is the story of how two completely different products from two completely different industries can come together and achieve great success!

Nike SB Dunks x Ben and Jerry’s – A Flavorful Twist on Sneaker Culture

In the world of sneakers, Nike often partners with athletes or renowned designers for their marketing campaigns. Never with a food company, but then comes Ben and Jerry’s – an ice cream favorite, most commonly known for its late-night snacks and an in between for movie marathons. The combination of these two different worlds is the Nike SB Dunks x Ben and Jerry’s collaboration. It’s a partnership between two brands that seems improbable yet perfect. 

Sneakers and ice cream? The idea behind this collaboration taps into our deepest emotions of pleasure, happiness, fun, and value. The limited-edition sneaker designs, inspired by Ben and Jerry’s ice cream flavors, are nothing short of iconic. The hype created by this collaboration was extraordinary! 

When Nike first launched the sneaker collaboration, they were selling a pair for $100, after being sold out in minutes, the market value of the sneaker skyrocketed. It now sells for over $5,000, which is more than triple their initial sales price. This success came from the love and appreciation of both sneaker fans and ice cream lovers which proves that when two brands come together, it captures everyone’s attention.

The Fenty x MSCHF Collaboration – Merging Fashion and Art

Another great example of a collaboration like this, is none other than the collaboration between Fenty Beauty and MSCHF. 

Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty brand is known for innovation and style in the beauty and fashion industry. MSCHF, on the other hand, is known for its audacious and artistic creations, often blurring the lines between art and commerce. It is these qualities that made the Fenty x MSCHF collaboration a sensation. 

The collaborative product consists of a box with six individual packets, each containing either ketchup or Fenty Beauty’s brand new red lip gloss. Customers play a unique game, a bit like Russian roulette, but instead of death, they get the suspense of discovering whether it’s ketchup or gloss inside each packet. 

Rihanna’s massive consumer base, known for staying at the forefront of trends, perfectly complements MSCHF’s reputation for pushing boundaries. The ketchup collab with Fenty, although unusual, struck a chord for fun, quirkiness, and a brilliant approach. With each release, be it lipstick or another product, this partnership breathed new life into traditional marketing.

Why They Work

Such collaborations are not only fun, but effective tools for driving profits and expanding brand awareness. The ketchup-lipstick combination and ice cream-sneaker fusion not only tapped into the deepest human desires for pleasure and happiness, but also brought in substantial revenues. Resale markets for these collaborations grew rapidly, as well as the profits which were a byproduct of these collaborations. Limited availability and exclusivity were key factors that led consumers to want these unique products more.

The element of surprise and delight was what made these unexpected pairings of ketchup with lipstick and ice cream with sneakers grab people’s attention. These collaborations set examples that can guide future brand partnerships. Creativity knows no bounds and these collaborations are a testament to that. 

Companies should not be afraid to push the boundaries of what’s expected, after all isn’t that the core of all partnerships? To create, explore and succeed. Brands must stay true to their identities while being open to experimentation. This blend of authenticity and innovation is the recipe for collaborative success.

As we know that brand collaborations and partnerships are beneficial to any company’s marketing effort, we see they transform individual brands into something extraordinary. Fenty x MSCHF and Dunks x Ben and Jerry’s prove that magic happens when you mix pleasure and excitement, the expected with the unexpected. 

These collaborations have set a new standard for marketing and brand success, showing that fun, creativity, and authenticity are the keys to consumer hearts. When it comes to marketing, anything is possible. 

If your business is looking to give partnership marketing a try, contact us to learn more!