The latest ploy to get you to spend more money: Bizarre cross-brand collabs
This article examines the growing trend of bizarre cross-brand collaborations, arguing that many are superficial marketing ploys rather than creative innovations. It suggests that consumers are becoming fatigued by unoriginal partnerships that prioritize brand visibility over genuine product value.
Why it matters
It highlights a shift in corporate marketing strategies where brands increasingly rely on 'collabs' to manufacture cultural relevance in a crowded attention economy.
Getty Images; Alyssa Powell/BI The brands, they are collaborating . It seems as though every day brings a new announcement from an odd-couple pairing of companies (or a company and a celebrity) about some sort of co-branded product. In the past month alone, Dunkin' and L.L.Bean came together to sell a tote bag and sweater, JELL-O and Tower 28 teamed up to make lip gloss, and Mane and Cinnabon put out a lip balm and hairbrush. There's also Gap x JYT, Realtree x Harley-Davidson, and Peloton x Miley Cyrus. The list goes on and on. Another cross-brand collab is almost certainly being dreamed up in a conference room somewhere as we speak. From a corporate perspective, the calculation is pretty straightforward: Brand A + Brand B = $$$. Hopefully.
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