Tips from Barbie: How Strategic Collaborations Can Improve Your Brand
Effective branding goes beyond mere visuals and slogans; it’s about changing the conversation and inspiring consumer behavior. At brandRUSSO, we champion this philosophy through our branding process that we call, Razor Branding™.
With Razor Branding™ we focus on four core principles- Focus (the who), Promise (the why), Connection (the what), and Harmony (the where). These principles, and the proper understanding and development of them are essential to having a successful brand.
The Foundation of Strategic Branding:
Focus: Strategic branding starts with knowing who you are and who your audience is. This is achieved through consumer insights, demographics, psychographics, and personality profiles.
Promise: Your brand’s promise defines that one compelling quality that distinguishes your brand from the competition.
Connection: Integrating your brand promise into your communication strategy.
Harmony: Connecting with your audience through branded touchpoints is essential to establishing a harmonious relationship.
In the world of branding, a common question always emerges: Should we seek collaborative partnerships or go solo on our journey? The answer, much like the essence of branding itself, is multifaceted. However, there are times when a duet is the right choice. Through strategic partnerships, businesses can harness the combined resources of both parties to achieve greater results than they could achieve individually. This can encompass access to larger customer bases, borrowed brand equity, expanded reach, and more often than not, an advantage against the competition.
which brings us to…
The Barbie Phenomenon.
If this summer proved anything, it’s that we’re living in a Barbie World. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re well aware of Barbie’s current moment in the global spotlight. Warner Bros. produced this remarkably successful film, and while they have a history of producing blockbuster hits such as the The Dark Knight and the Harry Potter Series, their top-grossing film of all time, which was just released at the end of July, stars none other than Barbie herself—a movie centered around a doll. It’s a true testament to the magic of marketing! In a matter of months, Barbie with a bit of help from Ken has pulled in a whopping $1.4 billion at the box office.
We’re not here to debate the film’s quality or personal preferences. Instead, let’s focus on the sheer brilliance of its marketing campaign. Barbie’s success captivating diverse audiences showcases the potential of creative partnerships. With over 100 partnerships under her sparkling pink belt, the Barbie marketing team left no stone unturned. Strategic partnerships ranging from makeup companies to Airbnb, ice cream brands to hair accessories, clothing brands, and even a pink sandwich sauce at Burger King—Barbie’s influence knows no bounds. Everyone wanted a piece of the Barbie Dream House, it was a partnership gold rush.
And the Barbie marketing team didn’t stop at traditional collaborations. Barbie also ventured into unexpected partnerships with Crocs and Progressive Insurance for auto and home coverage. Progressive Insurance took a creative leap, seizing Barbie’s summer dominance. After all, Barbie has her dream house and Corvette, why shouldn’t she have insurance coverage?
Why limit partnerships to the obvious? Instead, think about your customers and their habits. If you’re in the business of manufacturing socks, don’t restrict your partnerships to only shoe brands. You aren’t very likely to find new customers through collaborations with a similar client base. Consider collaborating with hotel companies to promote relaxation and comfort through your cozy sock designs. Or if you’re a local sock company, why not engage a local artist to create limited-edition sock designs? Alternatively, embark on a charitable journey and have a children’s organization design socks, with a percentage of the proceeds dedicated to a cause like “Feed the Children.” Imagine the impact of knowing that the socks you purchase were designed by children and benefit children—a heartwarming incentive for consumers.
These partnerships extend beyond immediate gains. Take Progressive Insurance, for example; within just two weeks of their collaboration with Barbie, their stock soared, resulting in an impressive 8.43% increase. Now, you might be thinking, “These campaigns are colossal, and I don’t have Warner Bros.’ reach.” Well, few do. However, the real lesson here lies in creativity. It serves as a testament that any business, regardless of its size, has the potential to foster genuine connections, amplify visibility, and leverage partnerships to forge a path to success.
Strategies for Successful Collaborations:
Gain Access to New Markets: Strategic partnerships can be an entry point to new markets, expanding your brand’s reach and attracting diverse audiences.
Example: The stiletto heel community witnessed an unexpected shift when they accepted Crocs as a fashionable choice, all thanks to Barbie’s influence. She made Crocs cool in a way no one expected.
Embrace Community: Building a passionate community around your brand fosters loyalty and creates a shared sense of identity.
Example: It wasn’t just individuals going to see the Barbie movie; it was entire communities dressed in their favorite Barbie era attire. The nation practically experienced a shortage of pink, that’s how dedicated this community was.
Remember Your Roots: As you grow to meet evolving customer needs, never lose sight of your brand’s core values.
Example: Barbie, with her rich history and feminist perspective, remained firm in this messaging and reminded the public of her true iconic heritage.
Highlight Your Brand at Every Touchpoint: Reinforce your brand’s identity consistently at every touchpoint.
Example: Barbie‘s commitment to her brand identity was visible at every touchpoint, from merchandise to movie theaters, ensuring a seamless and immersive Barbie experience.
Effective brand partnerships work when both parties bring products and/or services that resonate with both customer bases. By tapping into each other’s existing audiences, they can broaden their reach while crafting compelling offerings tailored to their specific markets.
Let’s explore an unconventional hypothetical partnership between a vitamin company and an airline. Instead of following the typical route of health food stores or wellness collaborations, this immune vitamin company takes a strategic approach. They close their eyes and picture the bustling crowds during the cold and flu season. Where do lots of people gather? In these scenarios, the ideal partners are immersed in crowded environments. They think of schools, where hundreds, sometimes thousands of students prepare for class- so, they can potentially collaborate with a backpack manufacturer. They consider stadiums, where fans gather in large numbers—an opportunity to establish an exclusive VIP Vitamin Zone offering health screenings and vitamin samples. And, of course, there’s the world of overcrowded travel, with airlines at the forefront.
Allow me to personalize this fictional scenario by identifying the partnership between our immune vitamin brand, VitaGuard and the airline, FlyNowl Airlines, known for its commitment to passenger safety.
The Partnership: VitaGuard, a leading immune vitamin brand, has teamed up with FlyNow Airlines, known for its commitment to passenger well-being. Together, they aim to enhance the travel experience by prioritizing passengers’ health and immunity during their travels.
Strategic Collaboration:
- Pre-Travel Promotions: Passengers booking flights with FlyNow Airlines receive discounts on VitaGuard as part of their travel package, promoting proactive health prep before traveling.
- Combined Marketing Campaigns: VitaGuard and FlyNow Airlines collaborate on marketing campaigns highlighting the importance of wellness during air travel. This includes social media posts, emails, newsletters, and blogs with travel health tips and product promotions.
- In-flight Health Tips: Flight attendants are trained to offer health tips and recommendations from VitaGuard during the flight.
- In-Flight Wellness Kits: FlyNow Airlines provides passengers with exclusive in-flight wellness kits, courtesy of VitaGuard. These kits include immune-boosting vitamins, hand sanitizers, and informational pamphlets on staying healthy. Every vitamin bottle has a FlyNow Airlines logo.
The Benefits:
- VitaGuard gains exposure and expands its customer reach.
- FlyNow Airlines builds a reputation as a passenger-focused airline, drawing in health-conscious travelers.
- Travelers can stay healthy while flying.
This partnership demonstrates how an immune vitamin company and an airline can collaborate strategically to prioritize passenger health and wellness, benefiting from each other’s strengths and resources
In the B2B sector, partnerships are plentiful. Understanding your customer base, their desires, and even their unarticulated needs is essential. It’s about identifying the right partner who can help you deliver on these insights. The most successful partnerships, whether in business or life, thrive when both parties are committed to putting in the effort and when both stand to benefit from the collaboration. It’s a win-win scenario that leads to mutual growth and achievement, and, as you navigate the world of strategic partnerships, remember what Barbie always says, “Dream big, work hard, and create your own success.”
brandRUSSO was established in 2001 by Jaci and Michael Russo, representing a global portfolio of B2B clients in the professional services and manufacturing industries. As a strategic branding agency, we believe in the promise behind the brand, and that by changing the conversation we can inspire and motivate consumer behavior.
