What did the superhero series say to seasoning brands? Laura Mills Cygnus Learn why brand partnerships between the food and entertainment industries are no joke, and how to do it right.
In recent years, brand collaborations have gone beyond anyone’s expectations. No middle-aged marketing professional wearing hornbeam-frame glasses can tell me otherwise. Nowadays, every campaign seems to be a “new and popular collaboration.” And we marketers are obsessed with finding the perfect, unlikely, or just right combination that our fans and brand communities didn’t even know they needed or wanted.
Brands are starting to own these partnerships and take their community engagement to the next level. We’re no longer talking about average product launches, but about creating amazing experiences that inject hype into everyday life. And perhaps the best combination is between the food industry and the entertainment industry.
mutual benefit
If you need assurance that a food and entertainment partnership is something to be taken seriously, look no further. Sidney Sweeney sells mayonnaise. That’s such an absurd sentence.
So why food and entertainment? Simply put, the food industry has always been accessible. Food is a daily necessity for everyone. And this is attractive to the entertainment industry, which wants to be in tune with consumers’ lives. For food brands, on the other hand, working with the entertainment industry provides an easy angle to be culturally relevant and a way to create relevant content.
Done right, partnerships can provide a powerful marketing strategy that builds brand equity and increases voice share. So shouldn’t the question be “Why not?!”
pink power
Let’s look at some case studies. First off, have we gotten over the fact that Mattel partnered with Heinz to release a limited edition Heinz Barbecue Sauce to commemorate the doll’s 65th anniversary? The all-pink bottle created a huge boom among fans and created demand nationwide. In this case, this combination appeared after the release of the Barbie movie, but still rode the wave of success. This was a smart example of how brands can gain attention and remain relevant over the long term.
Now, don’t be shy and let’s talk about us. here Cygnuswe have worked on multiple brand partnerships on behalf of our clients. All of this is aimed at giving viewers new ways to engage with their favorite quick service restaurant (QSR) brands. Take, for example, our partnership with Papa John’s UK for the film The Batman.
The pizza restaurant capitalized on the movie’s buzz by offering a limited-time themed side menu for fans to enjoy from the comfort of their own homes. This was part of a complete campaign to drive sales for the iconic film. The brand was committed to driving partnerships across all channels, from social to OOH and beyond.
will be popular
It’s been a hot minute since “Wicked.” What did we learn? With the marketing budget of your dreams, you can create a cultural moment with every collaboration.
While you could argue that Wicked’s marketing strategy was based on the success of the Barbie movies, it’s safe to say that both achieved well-thought-out partnerships that resonated well with their audiences. For example, in November we saw Wicked teaming up with a number of brands like Starbucks to offer “popular” (and had to be) themed drinks and merchandise for their fans, and Robinsons offering limited edition flavored squash drinks, one of which was just… green!
Additionally, a partnership with Stanley for purpose-designed cups has also helped both Stanley and Wicked continue to ride their relevance with the Gen Z market.
expect the unexpected
Food and entertainment are closely related. One feeds the other (sometimes literally). A partnership between the two sectors provides a great opportunity to reach a wider and more diverse audience. These drive both revenue and help create innovative new experiences for both brands and fans.
It seems certain that collaborations with brands will continue in the future. However, what brands need to be careful about now is finding the right partnerships. It’s great to jump on the brand wagon, but there’s always a risk of backlash if fans of either brand don’t feel the partnership is being done justice.
Brands need to push the boundaries to keep their audience engaged. As this area of the marketing environment continues to evolve, we expect the unexpected.
