Choosing a brand partner that aligns with your values can be a powerful way to boost your reputation, reach new audiences, and create positive social impact. But how do you find the right match for your brand and avoid potential pitfalls? Here are some tips to help you navigate the process of selecting and collaborating with a brand partner that shares your vision and values.
Before you start looking for potential brand partners, you need to have a clear understanding of your own brand values. What are the core beliefs, principles, and goals that guide your business decisions and actions? How do you communicate them to your customers, employees, and stakeholders? How do they differentiate you from your competitors? Having a strong and consistent brand identity will help you attract and evaluate brand partners that align with your values.
In my experience of 35 years, it is important to align your thoughts and messages before arriving at a brand identity. A brand partner is somebody who can connect the dots and understand the brand from within the organisation and its stakeholders and in creating a positioning statement with a great tagline that resonates with the business of the brand.
The brand is a collective sum of experiences. So, choose a brand partner who shares your values by defining your guiding principles, looking up brands that share them, evaluating brands' reputation and credibility, assessing alignment in sustainability, diversity, and ethics, having open and honest conversations, thinking long-term compatibility, carefully reviewing agreements, and keeping an eye on the partnership to ensure shared values are being upheld. Make sure there is commitment, understanding, and a good influence on the environment and society. Select a partner who is committed to building trust, maintaining values throughout time, and facilitating meaningful partnerships that align with the goals and objectives of your business.
Research potential partners; look at their past marketing campaigns & collabs, social responsibility initiatives; any ethical concerns, how is their brand perceived, is it trustworthy etc. Who is their target audience, does it overlap with yours or is this a way to expand your demo? Open communication with the partner, make sure it feels mutually beneficial, it isn't forced or inauthentic.
A great example of where two brands got this right was Mercedes-Benz strategic brand collaboration with Avatar: The Way of Water and 20th Century Studios. Through the values that both of these world-class brands shared, they embedded themes such as sustainability, mobility of the future, technology and innovation within highly emotional brand experiences across everything. Avatar: The Way of Water, together with Mercedes-Benz created a campaign grounded in the storytelling of the world of Pandora that showcased the shared values of community, respect for the world we live in and sustainability, that each of the companies upheld. Ultimately this partnership won more film fans for AVATAR, and more customers for hybrid car sales for MB.
I'm taking this from a client/agency brand partnership: me as the client, having worked with agencies for ~20 years in branding, marketing comms, and PR roles. I think the most successful brand partnerships are 1: A powerful creative team who learns your industry, has interest and passion for it, and brings fresh ideas to elevate your brand. 2: Very organized Account Supervisors/Directors who keep your projects and deliverables on-deadline and aren't afraid to push you. 3: Your agency team is willing to accomplish the goal...work with you until 1am to finalize a CEO's speech or press release, send you a file at 10pm when you're at a hotel the night before an event, and understand your job is almost 24/7 and they're with you all the way.
Once you have defined your values, you can start researching potential brand partners that have similar or complementary values. You can use various sources of information, such as their websites, social media, reviews, ratings, awards, certifications, and media coverage, to get a sense of their brand personality, reputation, and impact. You can also look for examples of their previous or current brand partnerships and how they performed. You want to find a brand partner that has a credible and positive image, a loyal and engaged audience, and a proven track record of successful collaborations.
The values of passion and discipline in the learning curve are critical to any world class learning Platform. Passion without discipline is chaotic and discipline without passion is rigidity in the learning curve. Keep in mind Learning with Fun is an essential ingredient in the learning process. The moment the fun stops the learning stops. They compliment each other and is one of the important laws of adult learning. Learning should come from within for it to become sticky and pragmatic and not just a tick in the box.
brand partnership, help to increase brand exposure, open up new markets and goals and boost awareness for the brands involved.
I strongly agree! Researching potential brand partners is crucial to finding the right fit for your organization. Utilize a variety of sources such as their website, social media platforms, reviews, ratings, awards, certifications, and media coverage to gain insight into their brand personality, reputation, and impact. Analyze examples of their previous or current brand partnerships to understand their approach and performance. Look for partners with a credible and positive image, an engaged audience, and a track record of successful collaborations. By conducting thorough research, you can identify partners who not only align with your values but also bring added value to your brand's reputation and goals.
Você tem claro o que deseja alcan?ar com a parceria? Defina qual o objetivo dessa parceria e pesquise marcas que tenham uma presen?a significativa no mercado e estejam abertas a parcerias. Opte por empresas que n?o sejam concorrentes diretos, mas que atinjam um público semelhante, de forma que elas sejam benéficas para ambas.
yes, values definitely help to find the people/ organization with whom we want to be associated with and build long term relationship.
Once you have narrowed down your options, you need to assess the fit between your brand and your potential partner. Ask yourself questions such as how well their values match or complement yours, how relevant and appealing their product or service is to your target market, how compatible their marketing strategies, channels, and tone are with yours, how beneficial and fair the proposed partnership deal is for both parties, and how transparent and trustworthy they are as a partner. Ultimately, you want to find a brand partner that has a strong value alignment, a high market synergy, a compatible marketing approach, a mutually beneficial partnership offer, and a reliable and honest partnership style.
Alinhe as expectativas e objetivos de forma que agreguem valor às duas marcas. Para construir uma rela??o sólida, seja transparente com seus objetivos. Alinhe com seu parceiro as responsabilidades, prazos e or?amentos. Lembre-se que a credibilidade da sua própria marca está em jogo, garanta que tudo o que for definido esteja claro entre as partes e documentado.
Hiring an outside firm to create or refresh your brand is never easy. Your brand is you, it's how your customers see you, it is, in some ways, your everything. So of course you want to select the right firm. Of course, web research can only get you so far. Anyone can post values or promises or even processes on their website. Every branding firm has wonderful case studies with beautiful work. Most have testimonials from former clients, some whose names you might recognize. How do you choose? How do you know if you're compatible? Talk to their team. Talk to their owners or account managers. Ask the tough questions. See if they practice the values they profess. It sounds deceptively simple—but that's the best way to make the right choice.
This is essential, but the most important connection the company has to make is to choose a brand that fits the purpose, then look for strategies, synergies, and plans to develop along the way.
Primeiro eu verifico os valores e mindset da marca, pesquiso de que forma ela agrega valor e soluciona os problemas dos seus consumidores. Pesquiso o posicionamento da marca e como ela é percebida pela maioria. Procuro me conectar com os decisores para entender os objetivos e estretégias e se acima de tudo s?o pessoas que valorizam a coopera??o e tem o desejo genuino de solucionar problema de forma construtiva acima de tudo.
Assessing the fit on various parameters to determine shared values is extremely crucial before entering any relationship. The parameters may include culture, history, vision, mission, goals, etc.
Once you have found a suitable brand partner, you need to plan the collaboration in detail. You need to agree on the goals, expectations, roles, responsibilities, timelines, budgets, and metrics of the partnership. You also need to establish the communication channels, frequency, and protocols for the partnership. You need to document everything in a written contract that outlines the terms and conditions of the partnership and protects your rights and interests. You want to have a clear and comprehensive plan that ensures a smooth and effective collaboration.
Collaborating is an effective tool for brands to organically grow in new markets. However, collaborations work best when complimenting brands work together. For example- an interior design company’s collaboration with a furniture brand. A win-win for both brands where they are in non-compete markets and their collaboration could result in new customer acquisition by both brands.
Planning is much easier when you share common values and ethos. This will include less conflicts and better communication which shall ulitimately lead to all round success
1. Définir les objectifs et les attentes 2. Clarifier les r?les et les responsabilités 3. Fixer les échéanciers 4. élaborer un budget 5. Définir les canaux de communication 6. établir les protocoles de partenariat 7. Rédiger un contrat
The final step is to execute the partnership according to the plan. You need to coordinate and cooperate with your brand partner on all aspects of the partnership, such as product development, marketing campaigns, content creation, distribution, promotion, and evaluation. You also need to monitor and measure the performance and results of the partnership using the agreed metrics and tools. You need to communicate regularly and openly with your brand partner and address any issues or challenges that arise promptly and professionally. You want to have a strong and positive relationship that delivers value and impact for both brands.
Choosing a brand partner that aligns with your values can be a rewarding and fruitful experience for your brand, if you follow these steps and tips. Have you ever partnered with a brand that shared your values? How did it go? What did you learn from it?
While I can't divulge the specifics, partnerships due to NDAs, they have been pivotal in fortifying my brand's identity and advancing my collective mission. Through rigorous vetting processes & meticulous alignment with my values, I’ve cultivated relationships built on trust, innovation & shared objectives. These experiences have underscored the significance of value-driven partnerships, serving as guiding principles for future endeavors. They've provided invaluable lessons in navigating complex landscapes & leveraging synergies to deliver tangible impact. Moving forward, i remain dedicated to seeking out opportunities that resonate with my ethos, ensuring that each collaboration is a testament to my unwavering commitment to excellence.
To execute a collaboration with a chosen KOL or celebrity, start by clearly defining objectives and expectations. Establish open communication and collaborate closely on campaign ideation and content creation. Leverage the influencer's creativity and expertise while ensuring alignment with brand guidelines. Coordinate logistics, timelines, and deliverables effectively. Monitor campaign performance, engage with the audience, and adapt strategies as needed. Finally, maintain a positive relationship post-collaboration for potential future partnerships.
It's most important to be respectful of your brand partner's time. Through all of our work with referral partners, we've realized that these partnerships are equally as important as our client experience - it's a crucial part to keeping your flywheel moving!
Execution of partnership with someone who has shared values will lead to amazing results, satisfaction and enriching experience for all stakeholders.
We need to also see if our values match with a apecific brand partner values so it's vice versa, if our values match with brand partner values, it's a win win.
Be aware that alignment (and thus brand partners) may change over time. A partner who was once ideal may no longer be the best fit due to evolving vision, new leadership or a host of other reasons on either side. It's perfectly OK to part ways when it makes sense and move on to partnerships that are fully aligned for both sides.
If your organization is looking for agency partners with expertise in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion, one approach is to find highly-qualified diverse-owned firms. The National Minority Supplier Development Council and National LGBT Chamber of Commerce vet and maintain lists of these firms. In addition, Clutch.co and TheManifest.com use these certifications and provides rankings driven by customer reviews. We have used these lists to find partners, subcontractors and vendors that support our diversity goals, and as a diverse-owned business, people have also found us through these lists!
In corporate communications, the considerations for brand partnerships extend beyond mere alignment of values to encompass broader strategic imperatives. It's crucial to evaluate how a potential partnership fits into the overall narrative and messaging of the organization. This involves assessing whether the partnership reinforces key messaging points, enhances brand reputation, and aligns with broader communication objectives. Additionally, corporate communications professionals should consider the potential impact of the partnership on various stakeholders, including employees, customers, investors, and the broader community. Transparency and authenticity are paramount in communication!
Visit the organization when the executives aren’t there. Talk to the lowest paid employees. Ask them what they think of the company’s culture and values. Don’t ask their names. Promise total anonymity. Listen. Hear. Make your decision.
Strategic communications is a specialized approach to distributing and receiving information. It means communicating the best message, through the right channels, to the correct people, at the best time and using the feedback to help shape the company goals.