When One Plus One Really Does Make Three: The Real Power of Brand Collaborations
From Balenciaga’s “frankenshoes” to Air New Zealand beer and the Barbie takeover, brand collaborations are everywhere. But what separates the iconic from the ill-advised?
Brand collaborations have become the marketing world’s favourite cheat code. When done well, they deliver reach, credibility, cultural heat and sales that neither partner could create alone. When poorly done, they become expensive distractions, brand misfires or, in truly catastrophic moments, a warehouse full of unused black plastic “abstinence rings”.
In this episode of Canned the Marketing Podcast, Ben and Steph dive deep into the world of colabs across FMCG, fashion, movies, aviation, retail and even B2B. They explore what works, what fails, and what every marketer needs to know before signing on the dotted line.
Let’s break it down.
Setting the Scene: Why Collaborations Matter Now
From TikTok-driven snack colabs to unexpected fashion mashups, brands are increasingly tapping into each other’s audiences, codes and cultural resonance.
Why? Because a good collaboration does three things at once:
Expands reach into new or hard-to-access audiences
Reinforces or elevates brand equity
Creates cultural relevance faster than traditional campaigns ever could
And in a market flooded with sameness, colabs offer something every marketer wants: talkability.
What Makes a Good Brand Collaboration? A Marketer’s Checklist
1. Audience alignment
Steph sets the foundation early: collaboration only works when both audiences stand to gain.
“You want to either get access to another audience… or expand reach. Ideally your audiences are really closely aligned or incremental.”
— Steph
If the Venn diagram has no overlap, run.
2. Authentic brand fit
Ben puts it simply: you shouldn’t combine polar opposite brands just for hype.
“You want some overlap… you don’t want really polar opposite brands coming together.”
— Ben
Great colabs feel inevitable, not forced.
3. A real value exchange
Each partner must get something meaningful. A high-end fashion house may gain mass reach. A mass retailer may gain credibility. A food brand can capitalise on a cultural moment.
If one partner is doing all the heavy lifting, the partnership is likely to fail.
4. Operational feasibility
Especially in FMCG, colabs are not whimsical ideas; they’re expensive, time-consuming, and resource-intensive.
Packaging. Formulation. Supply chain. Manufacturing. Compliance. Retail buy-in.
Steph emphasises:
“The length of time it takes… there’s a whole lot of resource that goes into a colab that you want to make sure is worth doing.”
5. Consumer benefit
A simple rule: if it’s not a win for the buyer, it’s not a win. Novelty is one thing; a gimmick is another.
The Best Brand Collaborations: Local, Global and Legendary
Whittaker’s: The gold standard in NZ FMCG
Whittaker’s has turned limited-edition collaborations into a recurring cultural moment.
Why it works:
Strong flavour heritage to build on
Smart partner selection (Tip Top, Jelly Tip, L&P…)
Beautiful packaging
High anticipation
Consistent quality
Mass earned media
Consumers trust Whittaker’s not to mess with a good thing, and they reward it with hype and sellouts.
Target x High-End Designers (like Missoni)
One of Steph’s favourite examples: entry-level retail meets luxury design.
The Missoni x Target collaboration sold out instantly.
Why? The value felt extraordinary. Customers accessed premium style at an accessible price, while the designer gained massive mainstream visibility without damaging brand prestige.
Barbie: The ultimate world takeover
Ben says it best:
“Which brand did Barbie not collaborate with?”
Skates, doughnuts, cosmetics, food, fashion; every category turned pink. Barbie’s licensing strategy created the biggest multimedia cultural event of the year. A masterclass in omnipresent branding.
Air New Zealand x ParrotDog Beer
A New Zealand example with real craft:
A beer formulated specifically for taste at 30,000 feet
A clever reveal video mimicking Air New Zealand’s iconic style
Beautiful alignment of brand stories; local, premium, innovative
Exclusivity that creates demand
Steph loved how each brand told the story differently while staying true to its own tone.
Four Square x Sawmill Summer IPA
A perfect demonstration of seasonal relevance and local charm.
Why it hits:
Both are beloved NZ brands
Strong summer + beach culture connection
Great packaging
Perfect timing for the holiday season
Creates local love and social buzz
Hospitality collaborations
Ben shares an example: Paris Butter x 63 Clinton, a two-night caviar-heavy tasting menu collaboration.
That’s the magic of colabs in hospo: creativity, exclusivity, and memorability.
The Worst (or Weirdest) Brand Collaborations
Sometimes collaborations break the internet for the wrong reasons.
Balenciaga x Scholl: The “Frankenshoe”
A high-fashion brand and an orthopedic shoe company. Enough said.
It got attention, but not all attention is good attention.
Steinlager x All Blacks: The Abstain-for-the-Game Ring
One of the all-time great “did anyone think this through?” moments.
The idea: wear a black ring to show you’re abstaining (yes, that kind of abstaining) to support the All Blacks.
The result: a warehouse full of unsellable rings and a collective marketing facepalm.
When the product just doesn’t taste good
Even Whittaker’s has had misses, Steph notes.
The lesson?
Don’t rush. Test properly. Not every flavour works, no matter how big the brand.
Important Nuances: Not Every Partnership Is a Collaboration
Steph draws a critical distinction: something like Barbie wasn’t just “collaborating”—it was licensing.
Licensing = a brand allows others to use its intellectual property.
Collaboration = both brands contribute strategically, creatively and commercially.
It’s important for marketers to know the difference before deciding how to structure agreements.
The Role of Exclusivity, Limited Editions and Scarcity
Many successful collaborations are built on exclusivity: only available once, for a short time, in limited numbers.
This taps into:
FOMO
Collectability
Social sharing
Premium pricing
Seasonal hype
As Steph notes, this is especially powerful in luxury and fashion.
When Collaborations Fail: What Can Marketers Learn?
1. Rushing leads to bad product
If the product isn’t good, the collaboration won’t save it.
2. Misalignment damages credibility
A premium brand pairing with a mass brand can work; but only if done thoughtfully.
3. Cultural misreads are expensive
The Steinlager example is the ultimate reminder.
4. Trend-chasing has a short shelf life
Biscoff. Labubu. Sour Patch Oreos.
Great for a moment, but risky long-term.
5. Controversial partners carry reputational risk
Yeezy is the clearest example. When the collaborator becomes problematic, the brand pays the price.
What About B2B? Yes, Collaborations Exist Here Too
Ben shares two recent B2B partnerships from Human Digital:
Human Digital x Ether
An AI platform that helps marketers create better presentations using their own data.
Human Digital x Firmable
A tool for improving customer and sales data quality for better outbound marketing.
In B2B, colabs are less about culture and more about:
Capability expansion
Joint value propositions
Shared customers
Co-marketing opportunities
The same principles apply: alignment, shared audience, mutual benefit.
Practical Advice for Marketers Considering a Collab
1. Start with your brand DNA
If the partnership doesn’t reinforce who you are, skip it.
2. Build the Venn diagram
If there’s no meaningful audience overlap, it’s a no.
3. Test the product early
Especially for FMCG; taste, quality, supply chain.
4. Plan for dual marketing streams
Each partner must promote in their own tone and channels.
5. Clarify the value exchange
Who brings what? Who pays for what? Who benefits?
6. Think about the exit strategy
What if:
the partner is cancelled
the product flops
the response is negative
supply chain collapses
timing is off
7. Use scarcity strategically
Limited editions can generate urgency and premium perception.
8. Be culturally sensitive
Avoid the “abstain for the game” trap.
A Few Dream Collaborations (Because Why Not)
Steph loves fashion colabs, especially accessible luxury via brands like Target.
Ben dreams in flavours; anything with spicy mayo wins his heart.
Together, they imagine:
Balenciaga x Tesla (limited-edition interiors?)
Chef x restaurant guest menus
Les Mills x Adidas (already real and thriving)
Sometimes imagination is half the fun.
Final Thoughts: Collaboration Is a Strategy, Not a Stunt
Brand collaborations aren’t about noise. They’re about value alignment, strategic expansion, product magic and cultural resonance.
When done well, they make the brand bigger than the sum of its parts.
When done badly, they erode trust or make you the punchline of Marketing Twitter.
The good news? With the right research, testing and partner selection, most brands can find a collaboration that’s meaningful, memorable and commercially powerful.
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