Weird works, especially in the realm of modern brand collaborations. Today’s fickle consumers—led by the ficklest of them all, Gen Z—are quick to switch loyalties. To keep them coming back, brands are partnering in unexpected ways and reaping often-surprising successes.
These unconventional marriages between seemingly disparate brands have been happening for a while; think Cheetos meets Forever 21 in 2019. (Wouldn’t it be a laundry day nightmare?) Or the hyper-frenetic GoPro-Red Bull mash-up in 2016. Now, they’re starting to come at a fast and furious pace.
Today, we’re seeing plenty of outside-the-box thinking on display when it comes to brand partnerships. Slurpee sneakers? Kool-aid skateboarding duds?