6 Brand Collaborations That Paid Off (and What Made Them Successful)

For competitive ecommerce businesses, the idea of working with others almost seems foreign. But there are times when it can pay off – like with brand crossovers. From Supreme and Louis Vuitton to LEGO and Adidas, history is full of noteworthy brand collaborations that paid off big time. 

The fascinating thing? Where some were obviously a match made in heaven, others’ success surprised everyone. This article explores the why and how behind the best collabs of all time in search of answers you can use to grow your business.

What Is a Brand Collaboration? 

A brand collaboration is a strategic alliance where two or more brands come together to leverage the strengths and audiences of each. Brand collaboration partnerships often involve co-branding, where the businesses intertwine their logos, designs, and marketing efforts into experiences or products. Combining marketing resources and expertise with identity-focused offerings has proven to be an extremely effective way of expanding demographic reach among highly engaged consumers. 

Starbucks x Stanley is often cited as a golden example of successful brand collaboration. The coffee shop and drinkware company launched a line of co-branded travel mugs and accessories in 2024. Their partnership worked because it united two distinct yet overlapping audiences with something that embodied the ethos of both brands.

Unlike the Starbucks x Stanley collab, which made sense demographically, other partnerships have been surprising. Some succeeded because they embraced the unexpected – pairing two brands with seemingly little in common can spark curiosity and captivate new markets. When executed well, "unlikely" collaborations demonstrate that the right product or experience can transcend traditional brand boundaries.

6 Brand Collaborations That Paid Off

Successful brand collaborations can generate buzz, attract media attention, and create a sense of novelty and exclusivity among consumers. They’re also an easy way to expand brand reach, which is particularly valuable for growing ecommerce businesses. 

Here are just a few examples of iconic campaigns that resulted in the aforementioned great outcomes and more:

1. HUDA Beauty x Tweezerman

The beauty industry is known for incredible customer loyalty. That makes discovery and acquisition difficult for even the biggest brands, which have trouble convincing people to buy their products for the first time – that’s why free sampling strategies, pop-ups, and similar marketing campaigns are so commonplace in the industry. Collaborations offer another potential means of tapping into new audiences. The key is doing so without cannibalizing your own customer base.

The HUDA Beauty x Tweezerman partnership is a prime example of this strategy done right. By aligning two brands with similar audiences but entirely different offerings, the collaboration provided exposure opportunities for both without overlap. Tweezerman’s reputation for high-quality beauty tools complemented HUDA Beauty’s bold, cosmetics-focused image, making the partnership mutually beneficial.

In July 2017, beauty entrepreneur Huda Kattan announced to her then 20.6 million Instagram followers that she had teamed up with Tweezerman to design a four-piece face care set. It showcased her love for lips with a lip-shaped cosmetic bag and included fuchsia-colored slant tweezers alongside other shaping tools adorned by both HUDA Beauty and Tweezerman branding. 

Fans of both companies paid upwards of $65 for something that could have arguably been priced much lower. The brand collaboration also generated a ton of buzz online, which paid off in increased exposure for both partners.

2. RYSE x BodyBuilding.com

This is another interesting example of collaboration between brands with completely different business models. In November 2024, RYSE, an up-and-coming supplement company, and BodyBuilding.com, an online community catering to fitness enthusiasts, partnered; RYSE, an up-and-coming supplement company, and BodyBuilding.com, an online community catering to fitness enthusiasts, partnered in November 2024. The relationship didn't introduce new products but rather symbiotically leveraged each partner's positioning in their market.

RYSE tapped into BodyBuilding.com's extensive customer base through exclusive advertising placements and product features. If there's a worthwhile place for growing health and wellness businesses to be, it's on that website, which has been heavily trafficked on since launching in 1999.

RYSE immediately benefitted from perceived credibility and instant access to a vast audience eager for the latest in fitness innovation. At the same time, BodyBuilding.com could reward and engage its loyal audience with value all these years in with special access to something new and exciting. 

3. LEGO x Adidas

While most would say that there isn’t much overlap between the target demographics of LEGO and Adidas, the multi-year collaboration has generated millions in revenue for both well-known brands. Here’s why the doubters were wrong: marketing teams at each company saw potential in their shared values of inclusivity, accessibility, and personal development. The campaign was defined by a shared goal to inspire kids and adults alike. 

Initial partnership discussions started in 2017 and eventually led to the limited release of the Adidas Originals ZX 8000 LEGO® sneaker in September 2020. Additional products for various sports were then launched in December and throughout 2021.

4. Supreme x Louis Vuitton

This next feature on our list of brand collaborations was a match made in heaven, but with a twist. It brought together two of the world’s most recognizable clothing brands – high-end streetwear maker Supreme and luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton – for an ultra-exclusive line of crossover products. 

“The Capsule Collection” comprised everything from “LV” and “Supreme” adorned hoodies to backpacks, belts, and luggage. While Louis Vuitton might be expected to veer away from streetwear, this particular partnership made sense given Supreme’s similar focus on buyers willing to pay more for “luxury” names. The collaboration also aligned with the historic French company’s growing interest in appealing to younger demographics – the targets of its new “savoir-faire” (The Art of Craftsmanship) campaign. 

Supreme x Louis Vuitton was confirmed at the AW17 menswear show in 2017 and hit the market at pop-up stores in Los Angeles, New York and Miami later that year. Brand hype alone garnered lots of demand right off the bat. With this high-profile crossover having a limited release, consumers knew they’d have to move on the soon-to-be collectibles as soon as possible. 

The result? A great year for both companies. A large portion of Louis Vuitton’s €42.6 billion revenue in 2017 is attributable to its partnership with Supreme. Beyond tangible gains, reports show increased awareness among consumers, with searches for Louis Vuitton climbing by 75% and searches for Supreme by 89% within a month of campaign launch. 

5. Peeps x Pepsi

Fizzy drinks and fluffy marshmallows continue to meet in the best way possible for Peeps and Pepsi's annual crossover campaign. This collaboration first hit the shelves in 2021 with a limited-edition soda that combined the sweet and sugary flavor of Peeps with the sparkling punch of Pepsi. It's now a seasonal tradition between the companies.

While specific sales data is hard to find, it's safe to assume Peeps x Pepsi was a financial success. The annual release generates massive buzz on search engines and social media, and consumers continue to be willing to pay multiple times the going rate of soda for a novelty can. 

6. GoPro x Red Bull

With both companies catering to the adrenaline-driven, GoPro and Red Bull could only grow their respective customer bases. The action camera company and energy drink brand announced an official crossover in May 2016. A global, multi-year partnership, this brand collaboration is unique from others on our list in that it doesn’t involve any new product offerings – just an agreement to exchange assets. 

GoPro x Red Bull saw the latter company take equity in the former in exchange for exclusive access to footage from high-octane events. GoPro received invitations to more than 1,800 of Red Bull's own events in over 100 countries around the world. Co-produced material then went out through both partners' media distribution channels, primarily The GoPro Channel, Red Bull TV, RedBull.com, and the Red Bull Content Pool.

This brand collaboration is a perfect example of a successful non-revenue-focused outcome, where the point was creating unforgettable experiences rather than direct sales. But that’s not to say that there were no tangible returns; in the months following the partnership announcement, GoPro stock prices saw a notable uptick. Meanwhile, Red Bull has reported massive year-over-year increases in revenue since 2016.

How to Make Brand Collaborations That Succeed

What do all of the above brand collaborations have in common? It’s hard to find obvious similarities between mash-ups like Peeps and Pepsi, but the partnership worked for a reason – if you look a little deeper, you’ll find several things consistently done right. Below, we’ve compiled three brand crossover best practices established by businesses that have done them well.  

Work on Common Ground, Not with Competition

Brand collaborations are only productive for growth goals when the companies involved complement each other well. Take another look at our examples from earlier and you'll see few direct competitors. In other words, there are shared interests and audiences, but not overlapping product offerings.

Having too many things in common with a partner can mean inadvertently cannibalizing each other's market share. Instead, brands of all industries should seek partners offering complementary products or services that enhance what they already provide.

There's no better place to explore potential options than social media – or more specifically, social commerce platforms like TikTok Shop and Facebook Shop, which hold incredible insights into what people are buying and talking about most.

Audit average followers' profiles to get an idea of what other businesses they support, explore the hashtags they follow, and take a look at existing partnerships to search for viable candidates for brand partnerships. Then, reach out with a proposal that clearly conveys a compelling vision that highlights mutual benefits and aligns with both brands' values. 

Embrace the Unique

While marketing is a significant driver of brand collaborations, the creation of innovative, limited-edition products or unique experiences is often the heart of their appeal. Consumers are drawn to these partnerships because they offer something new – products that combine the best of both brands in unexpected ways.

For example, the Starbucks x Stanley collaboration didn’t just release co-branded drinkware; it brought together Stanley’s reputation for durability with Starbucks’ iconic designs to create a product that felt both practical and stylish. Customers flocked to these items because they offered real utility while tapping into their lifestyle aspirations.

Create a Story That Resonates

Every successful brand collaboration has a narrative that makes it meaningful to its audience. Why does this partnership matter? What unique value does it bring to the table? A strong story not only connects the collaboration to your audience’s values but also makes it memorable.

For example, a collaboration between an outdoor gear brand and an environmental nonprofit could center around sustainability, offering eco-friendly products that support conservation efforts. By tying the partnership to a larger cause or shared passion, the story becomes compelling and authentic.

When crafting your narrative:

• Highlight how the partnership aligns with shared values or solves a common challenge
• Use storytelling in marketing materials to create emotional engagement
• Focus on what the collaboration represents, not just what it produces

Engage Both Audiences Effectively

A collaboration is only as strong as its ability to reach and excite the audiences of both brands. Marketing plays a key role in ensuring that the partnership gains visibility and generates buzz. 

Each of the examples we shared earlier leveraged strategies like:

• Co-Branded Campaigns: Marketing materials that blend the visual identities and messaging styles of both brands
• Social Media Rollouts: Teasers, behind-the-scenes content, and launch announcements on both brands’ platforms
• Limited-Time Offers: Use of urgency to drive action by offering exclusive deals, early access, or pre-order opportunities for loyal customers

Set Good Goals

“Set good goals” seems like an obvious best practice for brand collaborations, but there’s a lot more to it than what most people think. Obviously, both companies want to be successful. But what does that actually look like?

Those general objectives aren’t served well unless detailed and valuable to each partner. Not everything needs to be money-focused; the key is establishing goals with some sort of quantifiable positive outcome. The outcome should be within reach, too. Think: how would you justify the business case to yourself or stakeholders? 

Here are a few examples of what detailed ecommerce objectives can look like: 

Increase Online Traffic

• Target a 30% increase in website visitors over six months by running a co-branded ad campaign or hosting a joint webinar
• Use tools like Google Analytics to track not just visitor numbers but also session duration and bounce rates to measure traffic quality

Enhance Customer Engagement

• Aim to boost Instagram engagement by 20% within three months by:
  • Running weekly polls
  • Hosting live Q&A sessions
  • Encouraging user-generated content with a branded hashtag campaign
• Track metrics such as likes, comments, shares, and direct messages to gauge success

Expand Market Reach

• Penetrate the Canadian market with a target of $500,000 in regional sales over 12 months
• Strategies could include:
  • Launching localized ad campaigns
  • Translating the website into French for Quebec audiences
  • Monitoring regional sales data and customer feedback for insights

Achieve Product Launch Success

• Set a goal to sell 10,000 units of a new gadget within the first quarter of its launch
• Leverage strategies like:
  • Bundling products with software subscriptions
  • Offering limited-time discounts
  • Tracking sales trends and comparing them against established benchmarks

Ensure Fulfillment Excellence

A viral brand collaboration can skyrocket demand overnight – but what happens if your fulfillment operations can’t keep up? Delays, damaged products, or inconsistent service can quickly tarnish hard-earned buzz and leave customers disappointed. Seamless fulfillment ensures that the excitement generated by your collaboration translates into exceptional customer experiences and lasting brand loyalty.

Fulfillment isn’t just about keeping up with demand, though. It’s an opportunity to elevate the customer experience even further. Imagine custom shipping boxes that surprises and delights your customers the moment they receive their delivery. Or tailored inserts that deepen the story behind your partnership and encourage repeat purchases.

Shipfusion’s advanced fulfillment solutions empower brands to meet and exceed these expectations. Our integrations with Shopify, Amazon, and other platforms ensure real-time reporting and inventory management operations. Plus, our capabilities in custom packaging and scalable logistics can accommodate special projects of all kinds, including limited-edition brand campaigns. Investing in help from a third-party logistics (3PL) company is the best way to ensure your brand collaboration’s execution goes off without a hitch. 

You x Shipfusion: The Best Brand Collaboration of All Time

While brand collaboration in ecommerce goes against the usual M.O. of doing everything you can to stand out on an individual basis, they’ve proven to work for countless businesses both big and small. That’s when done right, of course. Just like with ecommerce fulfillment, high-level ecommerce marketing strategies necessitate lots of planning in order to be successful. Putting enough time and effort into finding the right partner can make all the difference. 

Growth-focused businesses understand that every partnership – whether with another brand or a fulfillment provider – must drive measurable success. Shipfusion is the trusted 3PL purpose-built for rapidly scaling DTC brands, providing worry-free, scalable logistics that help your business thrive.

Partner with a fulfillment provider that treats your goals like our own. With strategically located warehouses, fast and reliable shipping, and the ability to scale with your growth, Shipfusion is ready for whatever’s next.

Let’s collaborate. Contact us today to explore how Shipfusion can help you scale effortlessly.