Brand Collabs: Overplayed or Worth the Hype?
6/16/202655 min
Brand collaborations are everywhere right now. But for every Swatch x AP with overwhelming demand, there are examples like Nike x Tiffany that leave everyone wondering why those brands aligned. In this episode, Aaron, Melissa, and Chino break down the biggest brand collabs in recent history, figure out what separates the legendary ones from the cautionary tales, and build a framework to predict which ones will actually work. What We Cover Why brands are obsessed with collabs and why consumers are starting to get tired of them The Swatch x Audemars Piguet launch that caused mall shutdowns and $25,000 resale prices What makes a collab feel culturally necessary versus just a marketing stunt Nike x Air Jordan — how the original celebrity collab still dominates decades later Nike x Tiffany — two iconic brands, one massive execution failure Adidas x Yeezy — $2 billion made, a very public breakup, and why Adidas is still profiting Pepsi x Kendall Jenner — what happens when a brand collab completely misreads the room Supreme x Louis Vuitton — the collab that redefined streetwear and luxury forever McDonald's Happy Meal collabs — why they keep getting it right over and over HM and Target designer drops — when doing collabs too often kills the excitement The secondary resale market — is it a bug or a feature of a great collab? Aaron's risk framework for predicting whether a brand collab will succeed or fail The Collab Risk Framework (Our Fix) Formalize the unofficial — if customers are already doing it themselves, own it. Lowest risk, built to last. (Taco Bell x Doritos) Combine shared capabilities — two brands each bring a unique strength the other doesn't have. When done right, something magnetic happens. (Swatch x AP, Supreme x LV) Shared audience + shared sensibility — the Venn diagram has to be big enough. If it's too small, the market will tell you the hard way. (Nike x Tiffany failed this test) Curation and scarcity — making something too available kills the desire. The limited nature has to be real and protected. Brands and Collabs Mentioned Swatch x Audemars Piguet (AP) Nike x Air Jordan Nike x Tiffany Adidas x Yeezy (Kanye West) Pepsi x Kendall Jenner Supreme x Louis Vuitton McDonald's x Cactus Plant Flea Market McDonald's x Korean Demon Hunters McDonald's x Pokemon, Beanie Babies, Minions HM x Balmain Target x Kate Spade, Diane von Furstenberg, Karl Lagerfeld, Mossimo Coca-Cola x Oreo Pepsi x Peeps Nike x Toy Story 5 J.Crew x Costco Key Takeaways Scarcity is the most powerful tool in a brand collab. If everyone can get it, nobody wants it. The Venn diagram of your two audiences has to be big. A small overlap means a small result. Execution matters as much as the idea. A great concept with poor delivery (Nike x Tiffany) will still fail. Doing collabs too frequently kills the excitement. The magic is in the rarity. Celebrity collabs carry more risk than brand-to-brand collabs. Brands are predictable. People are not. The secondary resale market is now a built-in part of any major collab launch. Brands need a plan for it. Connect With the Show Subscribe for more deep dives where we fix big business problems with fresh perspectives. • Website – www.wefixeditpod.com • Follow us on: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/wefixeditpod LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/wefixeditpod YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@WeFixedItPod If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends! Keep listening to find out how we fix companies and put them back better than we found them. Disclaimer A quick disclaimer. We are going into this somewhat cold and nothing we say should be construed as legal advice, financial advice or anything that would get us in trouble. These are our views and opinions. We’re here to ask the kinds of questions everyone’s thinking, have an engaging conversation and maybe come to some conclusions that we feel are worth exploring. By the end, if we fixed it, you’re welcome. All trademarks, IP and brand elements discussed are property of their respective owners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Transcript preview
First 90 secondsChino· Panelist0:01
Welcome to We Fixed It. You're welcome. The show where we take over companies, you come along for the ride, and we try to put them back better than we found them.
Aaron· Host0:10
Let's call this out. A brand on its own can get a little stale. Even if you're a fan or a loyal customer, once you buy what they have to sell, you might be good for a while. You might even start to tune that brand out. But guess what? Brands hate that. Brands want your attention twenty-four/seven. They crave it. They'll do anything for it. Enter brand collaborations, where one brand teams up with another brand to make something together. Suddenly, there's a spectacle. There's something new to see, and more importantly, something new to buy. Have I bought a Coca-Cola that tastes like an Oreo? Yes. Have I bought Oreos that taste like Coca-Cola? Also yes. Don't judge, so did a lot of people. But for every brand crossover that makes an impact, there are dozens of try-hards that just don't connect, or they seem to exist just for the novelty and shock factor. And now every brand out there seems to be pairing up with every other brand. Well, Chino, Melissa, and I are gonna try to figure out why some brand crossovers are successful and how to keep the next one, 'cause there will be a next one, from becoming a cautionary tale. That's gonna be our fix, and in order to do that, we're gonna need to know more. Melissa, what do you have for us?
Melissa· Panelist1:20
Well, brand collaborations became powerful because they offer surprise, access, and social currency all at once. In fashion, for example,