For those who don't know me, my name is Anthony Sieber and I'm the Marketing Manager of Logistic Dynamics. As we continue our blog, I want to make sure that I cover so much more than logistics. Our goal is to inform and reach new audiences with each post. I wanted to take this time to discuss something that is close to my interests: co-branding. While going for my MBA at Niagara, marketing strategy remained my top priority. I studied some of the greatest campaigns, learning what worked and what didn't and more importantly - why. My favorite campaigns to go over were companies co-branding. Co-branding is challenging but can often be effective for more than just cost and resource sharing.
To me, co-branding is when two companies collaborate and combine their respective strengths to leverage each other's brand equity. At a minimum, the key advantage is to work together and have each brand assist the other to reach a broader audience, a new market or demographic that would otherwise be inaccessible. When done correctly, both brands should help enhance the other's brand perception by associating a perspective or attribute that the new audience loves and trusts.
A few of my personal favorite co-branding campaigns are:
Without diving into each specific campaign directly, it's easy to see what each company listed above brings to the table. No one company listed above needed the other, yet the joining a campaign makes sense for each brand by their respective product or service. By co-branding, each company was able to find success by reaching out to their audiences to promote the other and create a new value proposition in an already crowded marketplace. The most challenging thing in today's market for most brands is being unique. It's often chased but rarely found. I feel like co-branding could be realized as the second hardest to achieve. Many companies have tried, few have found success.
Co-branding is so much more than two huge brands coming together and buying ad space to sell their latest product or service, it's about the credibility and reputation.
The most important thing when co-branding two brands is finding consistency. Consistency builds credibility over time.
My suggestions for a successful co-brand is as follows: always use the logo the same way, presenting the best option. That means if it's on a white background, use white. Transparent logos give you the best bang for your buck. Daily, I see companies that use their own brand the wrong way. All marketing should have the same feel across every platform (even business cards, email signatures, fonts etc.). Think of it this way - have you ever seen the Nike swoosh at an angle? Never. It's always the same style. Do the small things right daily to help your branding.
It also helps if both brands have their own Brand Guide. Logistic Dynamics has their own guide for others to follow. This will help while in the design phase of your branding. Brand Guides often discuss how NOT to use the brand. See below for an idea of how we don't want our brand being used.
You don't have to be a huge company to co-brand. You don't need a massive marketing budget to get results. But you do have to take the proper steps to bee seen the right way with your audience, align your product and service and brand as a cohesive unit.
I hope these suggestions direct you in the right way and please reach out to me directly with any marketing related questions! You can add me through my LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonysieber/