Why Unexpected Brand Collabs Are So Popular

Condiments as bags, biscuits as drinks, sauces as lip balms. Strange? Sure. Surprising? Most certainly. 

Autumn has brought together a range of brands in ways few would ever think. Lidl announced the return of its popular croissant handbag in collaboration with Nikolas Bentel named ‘Patisserie Lidl’; Heinz showcased its sinister side in telling consumers ‘It ha ha has to be Heinz’ while a Joker-like ketchup smile covers the face of a burger-eater; Fanta and Warner Brothers came together with WPP Open X led by Ogilvy to promote Tim Burton’s new Beetlejuice film alongside its Zero Sugar drink.

Cereal brand Surreal is a prime example of doing the unexpected in making marketing moves to surprise. In the last year, the brand has collaborated with the likes of a Viagra company along with gym apparel challenger Gymshark. Co-founder Kit Gammell, talking to Creative Salon earlier this autumn, said: “When we look at partnerships we always want to be unexpected.” A strategy that, so far, is proving a success for the burgeoning brand.

The concept of brands coming together isn’t new; brand collabs have a rich history of entertaining consumers and have even had some racing to grab their hands on the limited-time-only goods before they inevitably sell out. 

Globally popular retailer Nike surprisingly collaborated with ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s in 2020. The two joined forces to create a limited edition shoe labelled ‘Chunky Dunky’ which immediately sold out and saw resale prices shoot through the roof. 

In 2019, Swedish home-furnishing giant IKEA collaborated with high-end streetwear brand Off-White to create a range of household goods named ‘MARKERAD’. The collection produced a range of items from rugs to clocks to bags integrating elements from the iconic brands, which Off-White’s founder Virgil Abloh described as “unique” but “distinctly as much of Off-White as it is IKEA”.

Mark Eaves, founder of Gravity Road, believes that there’s only one thing worse than doing something. And that’s doing nothing. And the more unexpected that something is, the better. 

“Anything that helps us avoid doing nothing is to be welcomed. That’s the scrolling ennui we’re all fighting these days,” he said. “In fact a hilarious piece of research was once conducted which found that, given the option of doing nothing or giving oneself a mild electric shock, most people would choose the latter. Or, as the Time article reporting it brilliantly headlined: ‘You Would Rather Endure Electric Shocks Than Sit Alone With Your Thoughts, Study Finds’.

“The more surprising and unexpected something can be, therefore, the better. Because then, the more of a something it becomes. Did I think I’d ever be able to buy a Dolce & Gabbana Stabilo marker pen? No, I did not. Actually I’d never even contemplated the possibility. Perfect.”

For Eaves, unexpected brand collaborations aren’t just new ads about an old thing - they are actual things. They are loved concepts because you can go and buy them - something that not only creates a whole new model for brand appeal that is much more attention-grabbing, but spins off a whole programme of content and PR potential. 

And to really stand out from the crowd, the wackier, the better. 

“These are the kind of self-administered shocks we scrolling masses are loving right now. Short term, high-frequency hits of cultural electricity. It’s fun. It’s scroll-stopping. Hits different. If it comes in chaos packaging, even better,” he continues.

“And for brand owners, these collabs are equally seductive. An easy something, in the worrying face of doing nothing. And it’s much safer to do a surprising collab than develop and launch a whole new product innovation. Who wants the risk - the financial investment, the time, the high potential of failure - when you can conjure up a quick collab instead?

"But actually, it’s the brands doing both - surprising collabs to launch fresh product innovation - that are the real winners. That’s where the high voltage, boredom zapping, marketing is happening."

This year has seen some brand collaborations that the word unique doesn’t quite cover. From food mixing with luxury accessories to cereal mixing with Viagra, it’s clear that in this day and age the saying is true in that it’s impossible to expect the unexpected.

Let’s take a look at some of the world’s biggest brands taking a step outside of the box:

1. Hellmann’s and… Chopova Lowena  

During London Fashion Week 2024, Hellman’s grabbed the spotlight in a way no one saw coming - because who doesn’t automatically think of their favourite condiment when they think of strutting down the runway? 

Collaborating with luxury designers Chopova Lowena and creative agency Ogilvy UK, the brands came together to create a bag owing debt to the rich history and heritage of Hellmann’s. Named the ‘Margaret’ bag after Hellmann’s founder Margaret Hellmann, the bag was modelled alongside the likes of fashion legends, all in hopes to celebrate Hellmann’s commitment to innovation and honour its legacy. 

While showcasing jars of Hellmann’s iconic mayonnaise in especially crafted pockets, the bag accompanied a silver Victorian spoon to reflect the brand’s timeless appeal. 

Joao Brum, global senior marketing manager for Hellmann’s, explains to Creative Salon that the collaboration came about after an approach from Chopova Lowena designers wanting to create a “fun and unexpected twist” on their famous ‘Sofia bag’. 

“It was love at first sight!” Brum begins. “The quirky, humorous concept aligned perfectly with our brand personality, with the potential to surprise people and spark conversations.” 

He explains that the strategy behind such an unexpected collaboration came from keeping an eye on social trends and landing on the stand-out idea of Gen Z and Millennials bringing back the “dinner party vibe” in bringing their own food and condiments to parties and events. The collaboration, he adds, is “timely” and connects with the interests and passions of their audience - all the while boosting the brand’s “cultural relevance and love”. 

“People were really surprised and excited about this collaboration. Who would have thought Vogue would mention Hellmann’s Mayonnaise in a list of the most viral moments of London Fashion Week?! We’re already thinking about making more bags already…

“Creativity can sometimes have a Marmite effect - love or hate - but that helps fuelling the conversation and get people to become true fans.”

2. Coca-Cola and… Oreo

Think of an Oreo, think of a glass of milk. Wrong. 

Thing of an Oreo, think of a can of Coca-Cola. Better. 

Yes, you did just read that. 

In the latest move, the two brands have joined forces in what can only be described as a unique way to quench your thirst. Coca-Cola and Oreo have come together where the famously-dunked biscuit becomes submerged in a can of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar. 

The campaign reminds us that while new to certain shelves and stores, the pairing will be “besties for a limited time”. The collaboration is described as a significant one that celebrates friendships and champions what it means to be “besties”. 

According to Oana Vlad, senior director, global strategy at The Coca-Cola Company, the collaboration of Oreo and Coca-Cola is an unexpected one - but one that feels right to both brands. She notes that this collaboration is a “first-of-its-kind” for both brands, in what aims to create unexpected moments of connection. 

Rob Yeomans, vice-president, commercial development at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners GB, says that the fusion of these brands, despite for a limited period, has promise for engaging with different consumers. 

“Coca-Cola limited editions have been a great way to engage new shoppers, getting people excited and talking about our brand, while helping our customers drive sales.” 

For Yeomans, he adds, past limited edition Coca-Cola creations helped boost its customer reach, where one in five shoppers that bought a creation in 2022 were new to the Coca-Cola Zero Sugar brand. Such work created a sustained volume sales increase for the overall brand in the months following, helping retain its position as the fastest-growing major cola brand by volume in GB retail.

3. Johnnie Walker and… Squid Game

In celebration of Season 2 of popular Korean Netflix series Squid Game returning after Christmas, whisky brand Johnnie Walker has released a limited edition bottle to celebrate the show returning to screens. 

The unique design features on its Black Label whisky bottles with elements from the show, such as a number between 001 and 456 - like contestants in the series. 

While certainly unexpected, this isn’t a first for the brand; most recently it collaborated with actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas and ski apparel company Perfect Moment to launch a new merchandise line for the Après Ski season. 

Jennifer English, global brand manager for Johnnie Walker, tells Creative Salon that the brand is no stranger to big cultural partnerships, and with Squid Game series one being one of Netflix’s biggest shows of all time, they can only expect the second season to be even bigger.

With Korea being a large market for the whisky industry, English emphasises how positive it is to have a “great partnership” that brings Korean culture to life. “It’s landed very well,” she adds. “Consumers are excited.”

English discusses how the brand partnership works and the aims for how the brand wants the partnership to be viewed. 

“I want it to be seen as being part of creative culture in the world, movies, entertainment, music, fashion, art. That’s kind of our space. 

“Blending whisky is a supremely creative act and so it is a really creative business and so are the people who we’re working with. And Korean culture is a big part of how we see the future of our brand in Asia and around the world.”

4. Surreal and … Viagra … and cheese… and the gym

Cereal-makers Surreal has people all asking the same question: what does Viagra, cheese, cereal and working out all have in common? It’s a valid one - although all the while strange it comes from a collaboration with all of those much-loved things. 

In a poster showcased in the London underground, side-by-side ads from Viagra producers Numan, cheese retailer cheesegeek, Surreal and gym brand Gymbox branded the phrases: “Harder, Feta, Faster, Stronger”, in a nod to Daft Punk’s famed tune ‘Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger’.

The campaign cleverly uses humour to engage it’s audience - one that Gymbox’s marketing director Rory McEntee said is a “quadruple collab no one asked for”. He adds that like its members, Gymbox as a brand wanted to be a part of something that pushed itself to its limits. 

Surreal is known for its surprising methods of marketing from using troll-like humour and targeting consumers on its chosen social network: LinkedIn. According to co-founder Kit Gammell, surprise makes up 90 per cent of its marketing - and campaigns like this are ones that stand strong amongst a difficult field of competition.  

Talking to Creative Salon, Gammell reveals such a strange collaboration with a Viagra company had no real strategy behind it, however, working with the likes of Gymshark, where a high-protein strawberry shake-flavoured cereal names ‘Cardi-Os’ was created, intertwined for both health-conscious consumer bases.

“We always hope that [partnerships] will also have crossover in terms of audience,” he explains.

5. Walkers and … Heinz

The two brands again collaborated in less conventional terms in reworking its ‘#CrispIN #CrispOUT’ campaign that originated in 2021, whereby it released a range of limited edition sandwich-inspired crisp flavours. 

The 2024 campaign, inspired by Britain’s love for both sandwiches and crisps, introduced three new flavours: Sausage Sarnie with Heinz Tomato Ketchup, Cheese Toastie with Heinz Baked Beans, and Roast Chicken with Heinz Mayonnaise. 

While a strange combination, it proved anything but that among consumers which, according to marketing analyst agency System1, the collaboration has been a “huge hit” amongst consumers, which featured ads from the likes of popular pairing Jordan North and William Hanson, and Gordon Ramsey and Nigella Lawson. 

“Walkers’ brilliant new rework of their #CrispIN or #CrispOut campaign is a superb example of how to embed fluent innovation,” says Jess Messenger, head of marketing at System1. “That is new products which are 80 per cent familiar and 20 per cent new into a creative.”

The new creatives for the campaign scored a “Strong” 4.6 star rating for long-term market share growth, an “Exceptional” spike rating of 1.55 in terms of short-term sales, and an “Exceptional” fluency rating of 98 in the strength of brand recognition. 

“The ad might be launching a new product but the much-loved creative is already familiar, which drives considerable happiness,” continues Messenger. “This is a really effective strategy for brands launching new products on TV.”

6. Heinz and… Monster Munch 

In the spirit of spookiness, Heinz collaborated with Walkers to bring together two of their most-loved products respectively: Mayonnaise and Monster Munch. 

Thiago Rapp, director of taste elevation at Kraft Heinz explains that the collaboration came from wanting to create something “truly special” around Halloween, following along from the successes of their Black Garlic Mayo the year before.

“We were blown away by the excitement people felt around these limited edition products for the spooky season. Monster Munch, with the iconic claw, was the perfect partner for mayo this Halloween, providing a scarily good twist on the classic," he says.

Wayne Newton, Walkers’ senior marketing director believes the collaboration will give consumers a new way to enjoy their loved products: “We’ve taken it a step or claw further by partnering with Heinz to create the ultimate spooky sauce. This collaboration will give consumers a new way to enjoy the much-loved taste of Monster Munch Pickled Onion whilst adding a monstrous twist to Halloween celebrations.” 

This isn’t Heinz’ first rodeo when it comes to collaborations on their sauces.

7. Burts Bees and… Hidden Valley 

Popular amongst American consumers, Hidden Valley Ranch - known for its much-loved ranch sauce often paired with buffalo wings, collaborated with lib balm expert Burt's Bees in a collaboration that stemmed off the back of an April Fools joke. 

Back in 2022, Burt’s Bees took to Instagram on the day for prank-pulling and teased a collaboration, stating that “the limit does not exist”. Fast-forward to January of this year and that joke became reality - but only for a limited time. 

In a limited edition creation, the brands released a range of lip balms to bring to life some of Hidden Valley’s popular flavours: Hidden Valley Ranch, Crunchy Celery, Fresh Carrot and Buffalo Sauce. The surprise 4-pack launch was so popular, in fact, that it sold out within just one day.

CC Ciafone, marketing director at Hidden Valley Ranch, explains how such a collaboration is something that has “never-been-seen-before” within the industry. 

“Fans responded so enthusiastically,” adds Mariah Eckhardt, general manager at Burt’s Bees. “This delightful unexpected union comes just in time for dry lip season and game day.”