Earlier in 2021, LEGO, the world's leading toy manufacturer, and Adidas, the biggest sportswear manufacturer in Europe, partnered up for the fifth time to release their first-ever customisable sneaker incorporating LEGO bricks. These are the Adidas Ultraboost DNA X Lego Plates Shoes.
The sneakers were released in April 2021 and maintain the sleek and elegant design of the Adidas Ultraboost, ideal for running and performance sports, with the playfulness and creativity of the LEGO brand, merging the value propositions of both brands to produce a high-quality product.
When done correctly, strategic brand collaborations like these can be an extraordinarily effective way to build up your business. This article will highlight some of the benefits of brand collaborations, specifically in our increasingly connected world.
1) Widened Customer Base
One of the main advantages of a brand collaboration is that it helps both brands to widen their customer base as the target market and customers of both of the brands are combined. People who wouldn’t usually be part of a brands target market, who maybe aren’t aware of them, will be exposed to their products and services.
On a psychological level, a collaboration gives signals from one brand that the other brand can be trusted, making groups of customers more willing to try out the other products in their collaboration partner's portfolio.
On the operational level, existing distribution chains can allow manufacturers to gain passage to target markets virtually overnight with the new offering. Increasing both brands' customer bases quite quickly.
2) Knowledge Sharing
When brands come together, there is a valuable experience exchange and knowledge sharing that occurs. Teams that normally focus on different aspects consolidate their knowledge and create a deeper pool to gather ideas. This knowledge sharing experience is what leads to more innovative products and ideas.
It also allows brands to specialise in their specific facet of the value delivery process, ranging from research and development, manufacturing to distribution.
This collaboration specifically brings about the different approaches of creativity and playfulness that are core to the DNA of both brands. Adidas supports their athletes in their chosen sports by providing them with the tools to let their creativity take over, and LEGO encourages creativity and playfulness by providing the blocks to let one's creativity run wild.
The combination of these approaches creates a playful and fun shoe that demonstrates to customers that one is never too old to play, a powerful message for both brands.
3) Increased Cultural Relevance
An underrated advantage of brand collaborations is that it demonstrates to existing customers that a brand understands the pop culture and "gets it". A successfully executed brand collaboration will demonstrate that a brand understands its customers and what they want, plus that the brand is in touch with recent trends and significant cultural developments. This increases brand value and helps make a brand more relevant in the digital world.
LEGO famously did this with their incorporations of different fandoms like Star Wars, Batman, Simpsons, and Harry Potter; all reinforcing LEGO's value and knowledge and their target market.
In recent years, Adidas' marketing strategy has incorporated forming relationships with influencers and major collaborators. The brand has widened its horizons from working with just athletes to collaborating with big-name artists and prominent designers, leading the brand to some of its more lucrative releases like Kanye West's Yeezy's and Beyoncé's Ivy Park collection.
The collaboration between these two brands leverages on each's strengths and cultural significance, making for a truly mutually beneficial relationship.
4) Increased Profits & Increased Market Share
The financial benefit is one of the driving reasons behind brand collaborations, and the reasons above explain how it happens.
When to brands come together, their goal is to offer unique and innovative services to their customers, giving them a competitive edge in the market. With access to a wider customer base, a more significantly differentiated product and more cultural relevance, the collaboration will likely lead to a higher market share and significantly more sales.
This edge benefits both parties who then enjoy higher returns on investment.
5) Increased Brand Reach
The marketplace in all sectors is so crowded now that brands have to do something out of the ordinary to be heard and raise awareness. And a collaboration is one way to do just that.
A brand collaboration not only grabs the attention of industry competitors, peers and market insiders but also grabs the customer base of both brands who are going to be excited about the outcome of the collaboration.
The launch trailer for the new collaboration was posted on both brands' digital platforms, in the process generating significant hype for the new launch and for both respective brands.
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