{"id":6151,"date":"2020-10-27T05:55:23","date_gmt":"2020-10-27T05:55:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/focus.cbbc.org\/?p=6151"},"modified":"2025-04-23T10:00:10","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T10:00:10","slug":"three-wacky-brand-collaborations-in-china","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/focus.cbbc.org\/three-wacky-brand-collaborations-in-china\/","title":{"rendered":"Three surprising brand collaborations\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Partnering up with a brand from a different industry might seem like a crazy idea, but these three partnerships show that it can work, according to the team at Dao Insights<\/a><\/h2>\n

The question of how to reach more new people \u2013 more customers \u2013 is one that pops up in marketing meetings across every sector imaginable, no matter whether the brand is selling lipsticks, chicken wings or museum tours. So, why not just tap into someone else\u2019s audience? Understandably, a partnership with a competitor isn’t going to work, but what about a partnership with a brand that sells something completely different? It might sound crazy but it could open up a new audience that might not have previously been looking in your direction. <\/span><\/u><\/u>Here are three of 2020’s unlikeliest brand collaborations<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

KFC x\u00a0Karl Lagerfeld\u2019s\u00a0limited edition chicken bags<\/b><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/u><\/u><\/h2>\n

\"KFC<\/p>\n

Fast food outlet KFC has become a master in cross-industry partnerships\u00a0and a front runner of marketing campaigns\u00a0in\u00a0China.\u00a0Collaborations\u00a0have\u00a0included\u00a0environmentally friendly\u00a0campaigns\u00a0<\/span>with Cargill to produce plant-based products, <\/span><\/a>and\u00a0<\/span>working with\u00a0sustainable\u00a0fintech platform\u00a0Ant Forest<\/span><\/a>\u00a0to allow users to plant\u00a0virtual trees when\u00a0buying\u00a0a KFC breakfast.\u00a0While these seem like perfectly acceptable and standard examples,\u00a0KFC\u2019s\u00a0collabs\u00a0have expanded to\u00a0the\u00a0outright bizarre. Earlier this year,\u00a0they\u00a0partnered\u00a0with Crocs<\/a>\u00a0to produce\u00a0a pair of fried chicken\u00a0shoes\u00a0in\u00a0New York.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/u><\/u><\/p>\n

More recently, KFC China has turned to the luxury industry to celebrate KFC\u2019s 80<\/span>th<\/sup><\/span> anniversary. The chosen brand was fashion giant Karl Lagerfeld, who produced two limited-edition bags. The witty new version of the original Karl Lagerfeld design included a replacement of the central Karl Lagerfeld logo with Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Paris replaced with Kentucky. The bags feature three red stripes, representing the trademark colours of KFC.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/u><\/u><\/p>\n

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Only three Kentucky Fried Chicken bags were sold this month on KFC\u2019s Taobao official online store. However, the controversial products helped both brands gain more exposure and attract consumers\u2019 attention on Chinese social media.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

However,\u00a0bold moves aren\u2019t always\u00a0appreciated\u00a0by Chinese consumers (see\u00a0<\/span>Balenciaga\u2019s tacky Qixi campaign<\/span><\/a>).\u00a0One of Karl Lagerfeld\u2019s fans\u00a0commented:\u00a0\u201cI think this collaboration is\u00a0bizarre\u00a0and also\u00a0farcical.\u00a0Karl Lagerfeld is clearly a brand\u00a0producing\u00a0high-market\u00a0and luxury clothing items, but they have chosen to work with a brand built on fast food for the masses. I don\u2019t know who would spend 2,890 RMB (\u00a3300) on a chicken bag.\u201d <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/u><\/u><\/p>\n

How are retailers catering to millennials?<\/a><\/h2>\n

Only three Kentucky Fried Chicken bags were sold this month on KFC\u2019s Taobao official online store. However, the controversial products helped both brands gain more exposure and attract consumers\u2019 attention on Chinese social media.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/u><\/u><\/p>\n

Honor of Kings x MAC\u2019s murderous make-up collection<\/b><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/u><\/u><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Having grossed a record $1.6 billion in 2019, Honor of Kings, <\/span>produced\u00a0by Tencent Games<\/span><\/a>\u00a0exclusively for the Chinese market,\u00a0is\u00a0one of the world\u2019s most profitable\u00a0mobile\u00a0games.\u00a0Also\u00a0skilled in co-branding projects, this time the game \u2013 focused on battles and killing \u2013 paradoxically chose to collaborate with beautifying experts MAC. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/u><\/u><\/p>\n

The special make-up collection comprised a highlighter, lipsticks, eyeshadow palettes and pro-palettes in hues designed to represent the key male characters in the game. For example, character Bai\u2019s unfailing confidence can be seen in the \u2018brave\u2019 red lipstick and orange-pink eyeshadows. Character Shouyue\u2019s cheerful and empathetic personality is represented by orange-brown eyeshadows and the Marrakesh lipstick. Complete with packaging inspired by their personalities, the limited-edition make-up was\u00a0formulated to offer fans an immersive experience.<\/span><\/u><\/p>\n

Why limit yourself to inter-industry partnerships when you could be having this much fun?<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

MAC is certainly onto something with this collaboration \u2013 the popularity of mobile gaming has grown rapidly this year, thanks to COVID-19, so working with the gaming industry can produce lucrative results. The hashtag \u201cMAC x Honour of Kings\u201d hit 630 million views and 5 million comments on Weibo, and the lipsticks sold out on MAC\u2019s Tmall official store an hour after launching. The collections have also been made available in the UK and the US, which represents the success of the cross-brand campaign.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/u><\/u><\/p>\n

Pantene\u00a0x\u00a0National Museum of China\u2019s\u00a0ancient beauty styles<\/b><\/span> \u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n