It’s time for one more version of the Put up Efficiency Report (PPR), a sequence the place we showcase social media posts and campaigns inspiring us, and discover what makes them so genius. We unpack how your model can use these examples to spark your personal scroll-stopping concepts—whereas maximizing your price range and doing extra with much less.
Model partnerships aren’t new. They’ve been a part of entrepreneurs’ playbooks because the early days of promoting, and have solely grown in reputation (amongst manufacturers and customers) since then. However social media has added a brand new dimension to co-marketing and co-branding efforts, fueled by voice-of-customer knowledge. With the assistance of social listening, manufacturers can discover out who individuals want they’d companion with and even sudden methods one other model enhances their buyer expertise. The consequence: delighted audiences, elevated model affinity and enterprise progress.
Let’s dive into our lineup of manufacturers who’ve perfected partnerships (on social and past), and takeaways you should use to search out your subsequent collaborator.
Scrub Daddy x Dunkin: America runs on donuts
For this Nationwide Donut Day, Scrub Daddy and Dunkin dropped a line of donut-shaped sponges, and their followers went wild.
Scrub Daddy and Dunkin aren’t any strangers to profitable model partnerships. But, this collab appears destined for virality. Because the press launch saying the partnership factors out, a witty change between the manufacturers on social put this complete relationship in movement. And followers had been hoping for years that one thing like this is able to drop.
When these two web darlings introduced their partnership, different manufacturers even heralded it because the partnership of the 12 months.
The manufacturers promoted the launch on social by glazing their donut-shaped sponges, internet hosting a dance celebration for his or her mascots, cleansing up sprinkles and extra. Each put up’s remark part is stuffed with emphatic reward.
Simply at some point after publishing, the model’s posts acquired greater than 260,000 mixed views on TikTok and 70,000 likes on Instagram. Based on Sprout Social Listening knowledge from June 3-4, 2024, the sentiment surrounding these manufacturers on X (previously Twitter) was 98% optimistic.
The play: Your model’s followers inform you what they need—in your feedback part, different manufacturers’ remark sections and random threads. The problem is amassing and analyzing this shopper knowledge, then deciding which suggestions to prioritize and when. This partnership proves an eagerly awaited collaboration is the proper strategy to revitalize one in every of your model’s ongoing campaigns or yearly traditions (like Nationwide Donut Day).
For Scrub Daddy, the collaboration gave them a motive to enter the chat through the hashtag vacation. On Dunkin’s half, they’ve already given away so many free donuts, it’s change into a Donut Day expectation. This partnership was contemporary and memorable.
Busch Gentle x Crocs: Making a buzz amongst mutual followers
In relation to profitable co-branding, Crocs takes the crown. They’re the go-to-partner for nostalgic cereal manufacturers, sponges who dwell in a pineapple below the ocean, purple dinosaurs and every little thing in between. Whereas a lot of Crocs’ partnerships are usually with kid-friendly manufacturers, their newest collab takes 21+ customers from sport mode to celebration exhausting mode.
The Busch Gentle x Crocs assortment options comfy footwear designed for individuals who get pleasure from each an outside journey and cracking open a chilly one.
Individuals have been speaking about day-drinking of their Crocs on the web for years, and that’s what makes this collaboration so efficient. It’s clear Crocs took discover of when, the place and why grownup members of their viewers had been carrying their sneakers, and constructed a partnership round an current habits.
For Busch Gentle, partnering with Crocs was an impactful strategy to faucet into the footwear firm’s fandom and tie-in their model ethos: heading to the mountains (or not less than having fun with the nice outside). They even hosted a giveaway the place followers may win a free pair of the sneakers in the event that they submitted a photograph of themselves tenting.
The response to this drop was overwhelmingly optimistic. Followers had been overjoyed, and flooded social with their enthusiasm. Based on Sprout Listening knowledge from Might 4-June 3, 2024, mentions of Crocs and Busch Gentle had a 98% optimistic sentiment fee on X.
The play: Understanding how individuals use your product (whether or not it’s supposed or not) can assist you discover the very best model companions and craft related content material. This duo demonstrates that model partnerships can really feel concurrently sudden and utilitarian.
Outside Afro Inc. x REI: Creating gear for everybody
For the previous two years, Outside Afro Inc. and REI have had an ongoing partnership the place they create collections of out of doors gear working with and for the Black group. Their most up-to-date merchandise drops function more true matches, celebratory colours and supplies that complement extra textured hair.
On social, the manufacturers promote this partnership by sharing posts from Black creators exploring the outside (utilizing their merchandise) and have a various number of individuals demonstrating why their gear is so distinctive. In addition they reply questions about their co-guided journey journeys and spotlight co-hosted occasions.
The partnership helps Outside Afro Inc. broaden its attain. For instance, the Reel REI shared about their collab garnered lots of extra engagements than the typical Outside Afro put up. However, working collectively allows REI to raised serve a wider viewers and fulfill its company social accountability initiatives. By teaming up, these manufacturers are taking important steps towards making the outside a extra inclusive place.
The play: Outside Afro is a startup with a handful of staff. REI is a multibillion-dollar firm with tens of hundreds of workforce members. Although these manufacturers are mismatched in measurement, they share an intersecting mission and are stronger once they work collectively.
The model companions you select don’t should be your equal; as a substitute, they need to improve the work you’re doing—serving to your merchandise and social presence stand out.
Airbnb x Icons: Elevating visitor experiences
From the legendary model that gave us the Barbie Dreamhouse and Shrek’s Swamp, comes the brand new Icons marketing campaign. This time, Airbnb is partnering with icons in music, movie, tv, artwork and extra to convey magical experiences to their friends. From reserving a keep on the Ferrari Museum to turning into a pupil at Xavier’s Institute for Increased Studying (aka the X-Mansion circa 1997), Airbnb is making individuals’s wildest goals come true.
An early standout of the brand new marketing campaign was the Up Home (impressed by the Pixar movie). Visitors can actually keep in the home—8,000 balloons and all—to have a good time the enduring movie’s fifteenth anniversary.
The posts that includes the Up Home ballooned to 47,000 likes on Instagram and 80,000 views on TikTok. The expertise is already offered out, however the story was picked up by main retailers like Time and CNN.
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The play: There’s one thing fantastical about seeing two manufacturers companion. Even with out an Airbnb price range, leaning into whimsy and subculture can earn true model love.
Nielsen x Goldhouse Media: Utilizing knowledge to achieve AANHPI audiences
Once you suppose co-branding, you usually image the B2C area (and for good motive, there are lots of unimaginable examples, as this lineup illustrates). However co-branded knowledge reviews shouldn’t be excluded. Particularly once they fill an ignored hole out there.
Living proof: Nielsen, a world chief in knowledge insights, partnered with Goldhouse, a nonprofit group that serves the AANHPI group, to create a knowledge report entitled “Reaching Asian American Audiences.” The report highlights the buying energy of this group and breaks down their media preferences.
On social, they timed the discharge of the report with Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and shared knowledge from the report in compelling visualizations. In addition they shared a video interview with Goldhouse CEO, Bing Chen, who interpreted the report’s findings and their implications.
The interview was significantly fascinating to Goldhouse’s followers—they had been fast to share their reward within the feedback part.
The play: Asian People’ particular media preferences are understudied. Nielsen and Goldhouse recognized this chance, and mixed their capabilities to raise the significance of AANHPI customers. If you’d like your partnership to make an affect, learn the way your services can fill vital gaps, as Nielsen and Goldhouse masterfully demonstrated.
Hole x DÔEN: The sisterhood of linen
Dreamy, high-end Californian vogue model of the second meets established Americana staple. The extremely anticipated Hole x DÔEN crossover occasion set the style group on social right into a frenzy.
To advertise the launch, the manufacturers partnered with the fashions and sisters, Lily and Ruby Aldridge. The “sisterhood” marketing campaign theme was intentional—it references its spokespeople, is a nod to the sisters who co-founded DÔEN and is a metaphor for the connection between the enduring vogue manufacturers.
On social, the promo included video interviews with the Aldridge sisters, photographs that had been borrowed from the capsule wardrobe pattern and messages from different sister duos.
As of publication, most of the gadgets within the assortment are already offered out.
The play: Legacy and new-school manufacturers are sometimes forged as pure enemies, particularly once they’re in the identical trade. However they don’t should be. Manufacturers in the identical trade might be nice companions (even when they promote related merchandise). They key’s discovering a collaborator who can assist you attain new audiences.
DÔEN’s worth level would usually deter Hole clients. This partnership made the model extra accessible, whereas widening their enchantment. Conversely, it made Hole’s choices appear extra premium. The artwork of this execution got here all the way down to promotion: working with well-known supermodels, creating high-fashion-inspired adverts and discovering the proper influencers.
Restaurant highlight: Fishwife x L’Appartement 4F
Tinned fish is taking up social media. So Fishwife, the tinned fish model of Shark Tank fame, determined to takeover the menu at L’Appartement 4F, a classy NYC French bakery and pure wine bar. They known as the occasion, A Tuna Fish Sandwich Block Celebration (parfait!).
Mutual followers shared their pleasure when the manufacturers introduced the co-hosted occasion on Instagram.
Fishwife shared photographs from the occasion that made it clear it was a roaring success. Over 500 individuals attended and there was a line down the block for 4 hours straight. Attendees commented on the put up that it was “the very best day” and a “dream.”
The play: Internet hosting in-person occasions together with your model companions is a tried-and-true strategy to join in significant, human-first methods together with your shared viewers. Discover activations that really feel genuine to each ‌your manufacturers and the pursuits of your shared communities.
The appropriate partnerships could make your model affinity even stronger
That concludes this month’s installment of the PPR. Keep tuned for subsequent month’s version the place we’ll be diving into the facility of showcasing frontline staff on social. Till subsequent time, bear in mind these takeaways when in search of your model’s subsequent companion:
Searching for extra on the artwork of partnerships? Learn Sprout Social President Ryan Barretto’s information to creating worthwhile model partnerships.
And for those who see a social put up or marketing campaign that deserves to be highlighted, tag us @sproutsocial and use #PostPerformanceReport to have your concept included in a future article.
