7 highly effective co-branding examples to encourage your online business

There are certain things in life that just go together.

Coffee and cream. Peanut butter and jam. Hearts and flowers.

Okay, we’re getting a little cheesy with our examples. But they prove one thing: sometimes two are better than one.

With this in mind, co-branding can be a powerful way to create a bond between two companies that are great on their own, but great together.

In this guide, we discuss the power of this strategy and why you might consider it for your business digital branding to plan.

We’re also going to share with you some of our favorite times when large companies have partnered with another brand for spectacular results.

Ready to find out more? Let’s begin.

What is co-branding?

Co-branding is when two or more brands come together to create a joint marketing campaign.

In some cases, this may also mean launching a limited edition product that in some way binds the companies together.

There are innumerable possibilities that have evolved over the years.

Some make a lot of sense, like pairing the GoPro and Red Bull to produce video content.

Others seem to come out of nowhere and seem to have no connection with one another. For example the optical brand Warby Parker and the fast food chain Arby’s.

In some cases, co-branding is easy when a celebrity with a huge branding platform connects their audience with loyal buyers of a product, such as Kylie Jenner with Pepsi.

Co-branding benefits

Co-branding with another company has numerous advantages.

First of all, similar audiences with a common underlying factor can come together to support both brands together.

This often leads to more trust from their target market, increased general recognition and sometimes enough enthusiasm to really create upward momentum for sales.

Depending on the strategy or article, this can result in a long-term partnership that can later be worthwhile for both companies.

The end result is a collaboration that the Brand awareness, Market demographics and trust levels of two companies into one while pooling resources at the same time.

How do you know if a co-branding partnership has been successful?

In general, a co-branding partnership is measured by how well the article or marketing campaign has been received.

  • Did your target market like the product or experience?
  • Or were the two brands so far apart that the whole idea didn’t make sense to consumers?

Selling alone isn’t always the goal when it comes to co-branding, however.

Sometimes companies just want to create awareness that can only be measured through metrics like website visits, opinion polls, and other data-centric tools.

That said, the ultimate test of a successful co-branding campaign is almost like that of a successful marriage – if both parties are happy, then you know it was good.

Top co-branding examples

There have certainly been numerous cases where co-branding has worked well for both companies.

In fact, some are so memorable that you’ve probably tried the product yourself, or at least remembered when the campaign first started.

Here are some of our favorite co-branding examples to inspire your business.

1. Dr. Pepper + Bonne Bell

There is probably not a single woman who grew up in the US in the ’70s, 80s, or 90s who does not adhere to Bonne Belle’s Dr. Pepper Lipsmackers can remember.

What began as a co-branding campaign in 1975 is still successful today.

The cosmetics company turned to the soft drink maker to develop a line of lip balms.

The final result? A real hit for young and old.

In fact, the product is still available today and other flavors have even been added such as A&W Root Beer, Cherry 7UP and Orange Crush.

2. Ford + Harley-Davidson

Ford Trucks’ Harley-Davidson line was produced with great success from 2000 to 2011.

However, there is a specific reason this pairing made a lot of sense.

Both brands have an important male target audience that is over forty years old and have a substantial income. That said, they could afford both the brand new truck and motorcycle to lug around.

In addition, Harley Davidson and Ford are both big names with decades of trust in the automotive world.

By bringing together loyalists from both camps, the brands were able to enjoy a successful co-branding experience.

3rd Pottery Barn + Sherwin-Williams

The luxury furniture brand and the high-end paint company entered into a partnership in 2013.

This was one that really worked for those in the marketing field and is still pretty successful today.

The secret of this co-branding?

Those who buy furniture from Pottery Barn and sister brands like West Elm know the importance of beautiful home furnishings.

In return, they also have a desire to make their space look attractivethat requires high quality wall paint from Sherwin-Williams.

The co-branding efforts include the use of special Sherwin-Williams colors in the background of Pottery Barn catalogs and store displays.

The pain dealer also has kiosks in stores with special colors that are labeled as part of the Pottery Barn collection.

4th Kanye West + Adidas

In 2013, rapper and entertainer Kanye West signed a deal with sports brand Adidas to develop a line of shoes.

The result was a billion dollar business that continues to thrive under the co-branded Yeezy.

Part of West’s agreement is that it retains the rights to all designs and marketingwhile Adidas takes care of manufacturing and distribution.

What’s special about this co-branded example is that most people don’t even realize it’s a partnership. Rather, they think the celebrity has just started their own line of shoes.

Which is a good point to consider. Most celebrity referrals or product lines are just glorified co-branding, wrapped in a neat package to best relate to the stronger target customer base.

5. Starbucks + Spotify

Ever sat at your local Starbucks location and heard a song in the background that you really loved?

You can thank Spotify for the experience.

The two companies partnered in 2015 to stream music in any of the thousands of company-owned stores in the United States.

Spotify, in turn, maintains a special playlist to allow premium users to listen to their favorite coffeehouse music long after their last sip of Java.

The end result is that both brands are able to provide entertainment to a like-minded consumer base while supporting independent artists and musicians.

6th Taco Bell + Doritos

What started out as a big gimmick has become a fan favorite.

The Doritos Locos Taco was introduced to the Mexican fast food chain in 2012.

Essentially, it’s a taco supreme with a special bowl made from the crispy orange chips that everyone loves.

The end result was a huge hit and the specialty is still on the menu today. In fact, the brands even launched a Cool Ranch version.

But Taco Bell is no stranger to the co-branding experience either. They have had other very successful campaigns with companies like Mountain Dew, Playstation, and more.

7th Amazon + Kohls

In some cases, co-branding is more about logistics than actually increasing sales.

A few years ago, Amazon added return centers to all Kohl department stores in the United States.

This allowed buyers to make personal returns without having to pack the items and send them back to the online retailer.

From a logistical standpoint, this works well for Amazon as they just need to send a local delivery driver to one location to pick up the items, rather than paying for an outside shipping company.

In return, Kohl gets buyers walking through the door and maybe seeing this must-have on their way to the back of the store to make an Amazon return.

Summary: Use co-branding to grow your business

Working with another company to create a co-branding campaign is an excellent strategy to create better awareness, increase enthusiasm and combine resources.

The seven examples we’ve provided are all ways companies have got this process up and running, but that doesn’t mean you have to be a large retailer to try co-branding.

Our Brand Package Kit makes it easy to plan your company’s campaigns, including the co-branding process. Be sure to check it out!

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