There was a time when brand partnerships—your Rodarte for Target and Hermès for Bugatti—felt rare and noteworthy. But now, every season brings with it a slew of unlikely bedfellows: Reebok and National Geographic; Burberry and Minecraft; Juicy Couture and Kraft Mayo. There’s no pairing too incongruous in the age of memes. This cross-pollination is big business. A 2021 Statista study found that 67% of Gen Z and 60% of millennials reported purchasing co-branded products and that 71% of American consumers feel positive about such collaborations. Done well, they’re a way for companies to widen their audiences and generate sales, while sharing the costs and risks. Done poorly, they can inflict serious reputational damage, alienating new and existing customers alike.1 This story is from Kinfolk Issue Forty-Seven Buy Now Related Stories Arts & Culture Issue 39 Calm and Collected An artist's art collection. Arts & Culture Fashion Partnerships Issue 35 Peripheral Visions An abstracted exploration of cloth and color, produced in partnership with HaaT. Arts & Culture Issue 22 In Conversation: Group Dynamics We invite leadership coach Kari Uman and clinical psychologist Murray Nossel to advise on collaborating more constructively. Arts & Culture Issue 49 Karin Mamma Andersson Inside the moody, mysterious world of Sweden’s preeminent painter. Arts & Culture Issue 49 Jenny Odell The acclaimed author in search of lost time. Arts & Culture Issue 49 Amalie Smith The Danish arts writer finding clarity between the lines.
Arts & Culture Fashion Partnerships Issue 35 Peripheral Visions An abstracted exploration of cloth and color, produced in partnership with HaaT.
Arts & Culture Issue 22 In Conversation: Group Dynamics We invite leadership coach Kari Uman and clinical psychologist Murray Nossel to advise on collaborating more constructively.
Arts & Culture Issue 49 Karin Mamma Andersson Inside the moody, mysterious world of Sweden’s preeminent painter.
