For a partnership to be truly authentic, the partner and activation need to feel organic, genuine and make sense to the consumer. Turning to an A-List celebrity who has your Ketchup brand tattooed on their arm is a recipe for success, but not all brands will enjoy that level of authentic connection. For most, authenticity can only be achieved by brands focusing on the human truth, speaking with true credibility and knowledge on the subject matter at hand and not forcing it. Brands need to perform an additive role for consumers and fans - and earn the right to play in that space.

Each of these partnerships demonstrates strong commitments from both brands from creation to activation and beyond. The synergy between the brands - in terms of shared values and positioning - extends beyond a singular campaign, made clear by the strong activation strategies employed across all. Nike’s multi-year activation with Sony Pictures and the Spider-Verse film franchise exhibits strong commitment to the partnership, rather than it being a one-off, enabling a character of Miles Morales’ huge popularity to become synonymous with Nike sneakers for years to come.

Engaging with consumers on both an emotional and rational level is another shared element of these successful brand partnerships. Whilst the logical side of a partnership is important, creating a deep, emotional connection between the brands and consumers can translate into greater brand affinity or loyalty. Balmain’s relationship with Evian allowed the brands to share their commitments to the future of sustainable fashion with Gen Z consumers; a group who tend to have a deeper care and concern for sustainability issues.

The key to every good partnership is undoubtedly a robust understanding of the target audience. A partnership will fall flat if the brands can’t resonate with who they’re seeking to target. The partnerships we analysed share an understanding of the type of consumer and where their interests lie. With snacking and gaming often considered synonymous, Oreo clearly recognised their shared audience with Xbox, hence the suitability of this partnership.

Whether it's cultural or linguistic differences, establishing a brand partnership that translates well across markets is a unique challenge. Philadelphia successfully navigated this by creating a partnership that engaged a European-wide audience with one universal truth: no matter what your musical preference, The Eurovision Song Contest has the power to bring  everyone together for a celebratory evening of fun, connection, and cheesy music.