At eTail Boston this week, brand executives shared insights on the value of collaborations with influencers and brands for expanding reach. UrbanStems CEO Meenakshi Lala highlighted both successful and less effective partnerships, such as a 2024 collaboration with skin-care brand Laneige. Despite Laneige’s strong presence among younger consumers, the demographic mismatch with UrbanStems’ typical customers—aged 35-55—meant the partnership did not drive the expected sales boost.
Targeting the Right Audience
Lala noted that while Laneige’s tie-up, involving a Sephora pop-up featuring an UrbanStems bouquet design bar, didn’t meet expectations, a partnership with Avaline wine resonated better with UrbanStems’ audience. The collaboration leveraged their focus on products viewed as giftable, aligning with customer interests.
Noah Gonzalez, H&M Americas’ head of brand PR and talent relations, emphasised the importance of collaborations for maintaining cultural relevance. Initiated in 2004 with Karl Lagerfeld, H&M’s designer capsule collections have consistently attracted attention and rapid sell-outs, as evidenced by their ongoing success with Stella McCartney. Gonzalez highlighted the strategic selection of partners to convey specific messages and cultural resonance, including engaging with popular figures like Charli XCX and Ice Spice.
Strategic Exportation
H&M recently benefitted from its relationship with Brazilian musician Anitta, who wore H&M during the World Cup opening ceremony, gaining significant earned media without direct costs. This underscores the potential benefits of well-placed partnerships.
Talia Monroe, senior vice president of commercial growth at Chobani, described the high visibility gained through sponsoring U.S. Soccer. Their “Feed the Dream” campaign, which featured co-branded packaging and behind-the-scenes content, aimed to align Chobani’s products with the values shared by athletes and fans. This partnership also included a $5 million investment to aid 500 local youth football clubs.
Expanding Opportunities
Alyssa Brown, vice president of marketing for Teleties, discussed their collaboration track record, notably successful partnerships with Disney. Despite other collaborations not always translating into immediate sales, they opened future opportunities. Brown cited an ongoing partnership with Orlando Magic, which extends Teleties’ reach through game-night presence, themed products, and partnerships with sponsors like Gatorade and AdventHealth Hospital.
These discussions reflect how strategic brand partnerships can help companies like UrbanStems, H&M, Chobani, and Teleties reach new audiences and strengthen cultural connections, even if immediate sales impacts vary.
Reporting based on coverage first published by modernretail.co.