18 Brand Collaboration Examples to Inspire You in 2026

Brand collaborations are a valuable growth strategy that can help retailers reach new audiences, boost visibility, and drive sales. In Deloitte’s 2026 Consumer Products report, 73% of retailers and consumer products companies reported increased commercial collaboration, and 86% of those said it increased sales.

But successful brand collaborations involve more than just sharing logos—they also include crafting stories and experiences that resonate with shared target audiences. They’re about sharing expertise, tapping into new audiences and markets, and delivering even more value to customers.

Before you launch a campaign of your own, draw inspiration from these retail brand collaboration examples, and discover best practices to make your partnership a success.

What are brand collaborations?

A retail collaboration is a partnership between two brands. Brand partnerships can take many forms—these might include a co-branded product, a joint marketing campaign, or a brand licensing deal. By leaning on each other’s expertise and knowledge, retailers can gain exposure to new audiences, create buzz, and build credibility. 

Imagine you run an online footwear store. You’re brainstorming ways to elevate your brand and tap into new customer bases. Suddenly, it hits you—you should partner with a high-profile loungewear brand known for its impeccable style and massive following.

Fast forward, and the retail brand collaboration is a reality. Your exclusive line, co-designed with the loungewear brand, is making waves and selling out fast. This is just one example of the potential of brand collaboration in action.

Types of brand collabs

Co-created products

When two brands join forces to make a co-created product, that’s known as co-branding. The final product typically aims to offer something unique that wouldn’t be possible if each brand worked alone.

For example, a coffee shop might not have the facilities to supply printed mugs to celebrate Valentine’s Day, but a local home furnishing store would. In this co-branding example, the two brands could launch a co-created line of personalized mugs containing both brand logos.

What’s great about co-created products and co-branding is that it allows smaller brands to access new markets, share resources, and build awareness with relatively low upfront costs. Using the same example, a home furnishings store could tap into the coffee market with a product bundle that includes new printed mugs and an exclusive coffee roast.

“For our partnerships with other brands, it’s happened largely very organically,” says Jing Gao, founder and CEO of chili sauce brand Fly By Jing, in a Shopify Masters interview. “We tend to gravitate and vice versa to companies that have similar ethos as us and have similar customer bases as us and also just can work on something just fun with us. So I think that’s kind of our approach, is just: Does this make sense? Are we aligned in terms of our communities? And can we just have some fun with it?"

Brand licensing

Brand licensing happens when you grant permission to use another brand’s intellectual property (IP). Many IP owners permit small retailers to use their name, logo, or characters on their products with a kickback on sales.

Loungewear brand The Oodie is a perfect example of this type of brand collaboration. It partners with huge publishers such as Pokémon, Hello Kitty, and Marvel to launch products using recognizable characters from their customers’ favorite movies.

Joint marketing campaigns

Customers have more choice than ever, meaning it’s tough to stand out. Collaborative digital marketing campaigns help you break through the noise. You can partner with another retailer with its audience to expand your reach almost overnight—and get a third-party endorsement to top it off.

Here’s what these brand collaboration examples might look like:

• An email blast that promotes either brand’s bestselling products
• A joint webinar where you discuss a topic your audiences share
• Exclusive offers or products that are only available to either brand’s audience

Shopify Collective lets you sell products from other retailers through your own store—without touching their inventory. Incoming orders are automatically routed to your partner’s fulfillment center—they’ll pick, pack, and ship the order directly.

PlanToys is one business that’s already using Shopify Collective to find brand partnerships. The brand saw some 18% of orders and 4.5% of revenue come through this sales channel in a single month—with no need to manually sync product imagery, inventory, and pricing details. Collective does this work automatically.

“If you’re already using Shopify, and your partner is too, you don’t have to teach a new platform,” says Rudy Valenta, VP of Americas. “There aren’t any fears about whether the integration is going to work.”

Collaborative giveaways

Everyone loves free stuff. Level up your co-branding efforts by launching a joint giveaway with another brand. 

Take what you’ve learned about your audience to determine a prize. People who can’t afford to buy your products as often as they’d like, for example, might be incentivized by a $150 gift card for either store. 

To extract the most value from your collaborative giveaway, make it mandatory for people to share their email addresses when they enter. Both you and your partner can receive this list (provided you’ve clarified how a subscriber’s data will be used). This gives you direct contact with new audiences who’ve entered the giveaway.

Influencer partnerships

It’s not just other brands that you can partner with. Studies have shown that 69% of consumers trust endorsements from influencers over information that comes directly from a brand. Leverage this by partnering with influencers that your target market follows.

There’s a huge range in what an influencer partnership can look like. Some retailers issue free gifts for creators to post about on social media; others go big and launch co-created products with influencers that have loyal followings. In either case, the concept is the same: you can piggyback off the trust an influencer has already built with their audience. 

“For us, our influencer program is really almost like a VIP program,” says Jessica Lee, co-founder and CEO of clothing brand Modern Citizen, in a Shopify Masters episode. “It’s people that we’ve developed long-standing relationships with. We don’t feel any pressure to work with a number of different influencers all at the same time. I think for us we’re very selective in terms of who we work with."

18 successful brand collaboration examples

Here are 18 real-life examples of moments when brands have joined forces, created standout products, and launched memorable retail campaigns. Together, they show how brand collaborations can spark interest, reach new audiences, and create more value for shoppers.

1. Nike and Apple

Category: Fitness tech integration

Nike and Apple built one of retail’s most enduring cross-industry collaborations by combining Nike’s fitness expertise with Apple’s device ecosystem. Today, Apple Watch users can quickly access training plans, track progress, or start a run with a tap, while the Nike Globe watch face and Nike Run Club integration make the experience feel distinctly Nike.

Why it works

• Strong product fit. Nike contributes training expertise and runner credibility, while Apple provides the hardware, software, and health ecosystem to make the experience seamless.
• Utility over logo placement. The partnership adds functional value through training plans, run tracking, watch-face customization, and Apple Health syncing.
• Long-term relevance. Apple kept Nike-branded bands in its September 2025 Apple Watch Series 11 lineup, showing the collaboration still has commercial value years after launch.

Takeaways

• Meeting customer needs. The best collaborations meet a real market need. Nike and Apple made running more connected, measurable, and motivating.
• Combined powers. Cross-category partnerships work best when each brand brings a distinct strength that the other cannot easily replicate alone.
• Enduring value. Retail collaborations last longer when they evolve with the product line, rather than relying on a one-off drop or campaign. 

2. Kith and Coca-Cola

Category: Streetwear meets heritage branding

Streetwear brand Kith joined forces with beverage giant Coca-Cola for a powerful brand collaboration. The result was a limited edition line of apparel and accessories that integrated the iconic imagery and colors of Coca-Cola with the urban style of Kith.

Why it works

• Unexpected pairing. The merging of a fashion brand with a household beverage name isn’t every day. This unexpected combination generated intrigue, excitement, and hype.
• Iconic imagery. Using the recognizable Coca-Cola logo and Kith’s modern designs, the products resonated with fans of both brands.
• Limited availability. The collaboration created a sense of urgency, exclusivity, and hype by releasing limited-edition items.

Takeaways

• Versatility of branding. The collaboration highlights how adaptable and influential iconic branding, like Coca-Cola, can be when it’s introduced into new contexts.
• Broad audience appeal. Merging streetwear with a universally recognized brand ensured the collaboration reached a variety of demographics.
• Scarcity drives demand. Limited releases like this can enhance consumer interest, creating buzz and demand for products.

3. Kylie Cosmetics and Kendall Jenner

Category: Celebrity-led beauty collaboration

When two powerhouses in the fashion and beauty world decide to join forces on a marketing campaign, you know something special is on the horizon. That was exactly the case with Kylie Cosmetics and Kendall Jenner’s collaboration.

Kyle Jenner, founder of game-changing beauty products brand Kylie Cosmetics, and sister Kendall Jenner, a global fashion icon in her own right, decided to merge their worlds. The collaboration resulted in a makeup collection that’s both high-fashion and wearable.

Why it works

• Balancing acts. While Kylie’s brand often leans toward bold and vibrant palettes, Kendall is known for her more natural and understated style. Together, they struck a balance that appealed to many beauty enthusiasts.
• Built-in fanbase. With both Jenner sisters having massive followings, the collaboration naturally had a lot of eyes on it. Fans of both women were excited to see what the duo would create together.

Takeaways

• Leveraging combined strengths. By bringing together Kylie’s makeup expertise and Kendall’s fashion-forward approach, the collection catered to bold and subtle makeup lovers.
• Anticipation is powerful. When two influential figures hint at collaboration, the built-up anticipation can lead to significant buzz and excitement, driving success upon launch.

4. GoPro and Red Bull

Category: Adventure content partnership

GoPro and Red Bull are a strong brand collaboration example built on a shared use case, not just shared branding. The partnership brings GoPro’s action-camera technology into Red Bull’s high-adrenaline sports universe, giving fans first-person access to events and athletes in a way that feels native to both brands. 

In November 2025, GoPro captured Red Bull Rampage in its third consecutive year as the event’s exclusive action camera partner.

Why it works

• Natural product-market fit. GoPro is built to capture immersive POV footage, and Red Bull specializes in sports and events where that perspective adds real value for viewers.
• Content, not just co-branding. The collaboration shows up in the actual fan experience through event footage, course previews, and athlete perspectives.
• Long-term relevance.GoPro’s third consecutive year as exclusive action camera partner at Red Bull Rampage suggests the collaboration has staying power, not just launch buzz. 

Takeaways

• Enhance the product experience. The best collaborations do much more than simply adding another logo to a campaign.
• Great content is ongoing. A strong collaboration can become a lasting marketing engine, especially when both brands benefit from repeated storytelling opportunities.
• Lean on natural partnerships. Brand collabs last longer when the audiences and use cases already overlap, as they do here with action sports fans. 

5. Bombas and Wicked

Category: Pop culture and entertainment

Bombas, known for its ultra-comfy socks and “buy one, give one” model, decided to blend its designs with the whimsical world of Wicked. The result was a collection that features memorable Wicked characters on the snug fit of Bombas socks.

Why it works

• Broad appeal. The collaboration reached a wide audience. Whether you’re a kid or an adult who’s excited about Wicked, there’s a pair of socks for everyone.

Takeaways

• Blend strengths for success. This brand collaboration example was more than just placing characters on socks. It was about merging the strengths of both brands: Bombas’ commitment to quality and Wicked’s storytelling.
• Engage emotions. By tapping into the cherished memories of Wicked fans, the collaboration offered an emotional connection, making the socks more than just an accessory.
• Diverse offerings attract more fans. With various Wicked character colors featured, fans could find a design that resonated with their favorite character, so the collection appealed to a broad audience.

6. Liquid Death and Martha Stewart

Category: Shock-value celebrity crossover

Liquid Death and Martha Stewart turned an unlikely pairing into a high-attention brand collaboration by leaning into contrast. Their collaboration centered on the limited-edition Dismembered Moments candle, a life-sized severed hand holding a can of Liquid Death. 

Why it works

• Unexpected contrast creates attention. Martha Stewart’s refined brand image made the collaboration feel surprising in a way that generated curiosity and conversation.
• The product goes beyond a simple endorsement. Instead of stopping at an ad campaign, the brands released a distinct, limited-edition item people could actually buy.
• It matches Liquid Death’s brand playbook. Campaign US’s 2025 profile points to the Martha Stewart partnership as part of the brand’s larger marketing strategy of standout collaborations.

Takeaways

• An unlikely partnership. An unexpected pairing can be a strength when the contrast is intentional and aligned with the brand’s voice.
• Limited-edition buzz. Translate scarcity into commerce by giving audiences something memorable and collectible to buy.
• Build on brand identity. Retail collaborations work best when they feel connected to at least one brand’s identity, even if the pairing is unexpected. Here, the shock value clearly fits Liquid Death’s positioning. 

7. Pangaia and Headspace

Category: Wellness lifestyle collaboration

Pangaia, a sustainable clothing brand, joined with Headspace, a meditation and well-being app. The outcome: products and experiences designed to nourish the planet and the mind.

Why it works

• Shared values. Both brands prioritize well-being: Pangaia through sustainable fashion, and Headspace through mental health. This shared commitment created a genuine collaboration.
• Holistic approach. The partnership emphasized that caring for the environment and one’s mind are interconnected.
• Engaging a wider audience. While both brands have distinct customers, the collaboration expanded their reach, resonating with individuals keen on sustainable living and mental wellness.

Takeaways

• Aligned missions amplify impact. Collaborations grounded in shared values and missions tend to resonate more deeply with audiences.
• Resonated with both audiences. Similar to how a well-written book should appeal to fans of different genres, collaborations should appeal to both audiences.
• Authenticity matters. Consumers can discern genuine collaborations from marketing tactics in today’s market. Authentic partnerships create a deeper impact.

8. Pura Vida Bracelets and Harry Potter

Category: Fandom-inspired accessories

Pura Vida Bracelets, known for its handcrafted bracelets and commitment to artisans, paired up with the universally beloved universe of Harry Potter. The collab produced a collection of bracelets inspired by the iconic symbols, colors, and houses of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Why it works

• Shared themes. Both Pura Vida and Harry Potter value elements of friendship, loyalty, and adventure. This shared ethos was evident in the bracelets’ designs.
• Accessible magic. Fans of Harry Potter could carry a piece of their favorite world on their wrist, making Hogwarts magic accessible and wearable every day.
• Diverse range. With designs representing different Hogwarts houses and symbols, there was something for every Harry Potter enthusiast.

Takeaways

• Emotional resonance. Aligning with stories people deeply connect with, like Harry Potter, can elevate a product’s appeal.
• Versatility is key. Melding the simple style of Pura Vida with the depth of the Harry Potter universe resulted in products suitable for various occasions.
• Celebrating fan communities. Recognizing and designing for dedicated fan bases can lead to significant engagement and success.

9. Dose of Colors and Shayla

Category: Influencer beauty co-creation

Dose of Colors is known for high-quality and cruelty-free makeup. Joining forces with Shayla, a beauty influencer known for her makeup expertise and massive following, they introduced a line reflecting the brand’s color expertise and signature style.

Why it works

• Expertise meets influence. Combining Dose of Colors’ makeup knowledge with Shayla’s industry influence resulted in expert-approved and fan-loved products.
• Versatile range. The collaboration offered a range that catered to everyday looks and more dramatic styles, reflecting Shayla’s diverse makeup tutorials.
• Authenticity. Shayla’s genuine love for the brand, even before the retail brand collaboration, ensured that the partnership felt authentic and resonated with fans.

Takeaways

• Collaborate with purpose. Partnerships work best when both parties bring something unique to the table, be it expertise, influence, or both.
• Reflect the audience’s needs. Offering a range of products that cater to diverse tastes ensures broader appeal.
• Authenticity wins. Genuine collaborations, where there’s mutual respect and admiration, often see more engagement and success.

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10. Doritos and Taco Bell

Category: Fast-food product mashup

Doritos and Taco Bell turned a snack brand into a menu hit with Doritos Locos Tacos, combining Taco Bell’s fast-food reach with Doritos’ recognizable flavor to create a product that felt both familiar and new. 

Why it works

• Instant product recognition. Doritos’ flavor and branding made the item easy for customers to understand at a glance.
• Strong product-market fit. The collaboration translated a popular snack experience into Taco Bell’s core taco format instead of forcing an unrelated pairing.
• Long-term and repeatable appeal. Taco Bell was still featuring Doritos Locos Tacos on its menu in 2026, and brought back Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos as part of its 2025 Decades Y2K Menu. 

Takeaways

• Tap into intuitive pairings. The best collaborations create a product customers immediately “get,” without needing much explanation.
• Overlapping audiences. Food collaborations work especially well when the brands’ flavors, formats, and customers already have common interests. 
• Staying power. A strong collaboration can outlast launch hype when it becomes part of the brand’s ongoing menu strategy.

11. Leesa and West Elm

Category: Experiential home retail partnership

When you think of a restful night’s sleep, a quality mattress is essential—and when it comes to stylish bedroom furniture, West Elm is a name that quickly springs to mind. 

Leesa, known for its premium mattresses, and West Elm combined their strengths. The goal was simple: Create an environment where customers could experience Leesa mattresses within the aesthetic setting of West Elm’s furniture lineup.

Why it works

• Try before you buy. West Elm stores provided a space where customers could experience the comfort of Leesa mattresses firsthand, making the purchasing decision easier.
• Synergy in design. Leesa’s modern mattress design complemented West Elm’s sleek furniture, offering a cohesive look.
• Shared values. Both brands are committed to sustainability and social responsibility, resonating with eco-conscious consumers.

Takeaways

• Experience is crucial. Giving customers a chance to test a product in a real-world setting can build trust and boost sales.
• Aligned brand values matter. Collaborations are more seamless and genuine when both brands share similar core principles and values.
• Strength in unity. By pooling their resources and expertise, Leesa and West Elm provided a complete solution for consumers seeking comfort and style.

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12. Chubbies and the NFL

Category: Sports apparel collab

Chubbies, the go-to brand for customers looking for fun-filled novelty clothing, teamed up with the National Football League (NFL). The collaboration delivered exactly what fans wanted: bold prints featuring their team’s colors and mascots, crossed with Chubbies’ signature laid-back styles.

Why it works

• Surprise factor. The unlikely pairing grabbed attention because it wasn’t your typical collaboration. It sparked curiosity.
• Nostalgia. NFL teams evoke memories and deep allegiances for fans. Blending this affection with Chubbies’ playful style created a fresh yet nostalgic energy.
• Broad appeal. While Chubbies catered to a particular style demographic, introducing NFL-themed apparel expanded its reach to sports fans and those looking for unique pieces.

Takeaways

• Dare to be different. In a saturated market, unusual collaborations can help brands stand out and capture interest.
• Tap into shared audiences. By merging distinct brand identities, it’s possible to tap into diverse customer bases, expanding reach.
• Consistent branding is key. Despite the collaboration’s unique nature, neither brand lost its essence, ensuring that core fans from both sides remained engaged.

13. Corkcicle and Star Wars

Category: Functional fandom merchandise

Corkcicle, the brand celebrated for its sleek drinkware, teamed up with the Star Wars franchise to create a limited edition line. The collection offered fans high-performance drinkware with a design twist inspired by the characters and themes of the Star Wars universe.

Why it works

• Universal appeal. Star Wars has a massive, diverse fanbase. Marrying its iconic imagery with Corkcicle’s practical design meant creating products with broad appeal.
• Functional meets fandom. Fans love to showcase their love for Star Wars, and Corkcicle gave them a way to do this daily.
• Exclusive feel. The limited-edition nature of the collaboration added an allure of exclusivity, making each product feel special.

Takeaways

• Tap into passion. By collaborating with a franchise as beloved as Star Wars, brands can harness the deep-rooted passion of its fans.
• Merge function with fun. Practical and enjoyable products tend to resonate well with consumers.
• Limited runs create buzz. Releasing limited-edition items can generate excitement and a sense of urgency among potential buyers.

14. OUAI and BYREDO

Category: Premium beauty sensory fusion

The beauty world was excited when OUAI, known for its standout hair care products, announced a collaboration with BYREDO, a fragrances brand. Together, they gave beauty enthusiasts something they didn’t even know they needed.

OUAI, under the leadership of celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkin, has always pushed the boundaries of hair care. BYREDO, on the other hand, is known for its unique and memorable scents. The two brands created a leave-in conditioner with BYREDO’s iconic Mojave Ghost fragrance.

Why it works

• Filling a niche. This brand collaboration example introduced a product that was both practical (a leave-in conditioner) and luxurious (an elite fragrance), filling a niche in the market.
• Shared aesthetic. Both brands champion a minimalist yet premium style. This shared vision made the collaboration seamless and authentic.
• Mutual brand boost. While both brands have their dedicated fan bases, this collaboration introduced each to the other’s audience.

Takeaways

• Synergy is key. Successful collaborations often arise from brands with aligned aesthetics and values.
• Innovation drives interest. By offering something fresh and unexpected, brands can capture audience attention and stand out in the market.
• Expand by association. Collaborations are a strategic way to introduce a brand to new consumers, leveraging the trust and recognition already established by the partnering brand.

15. P.E Nation and H&M

Category: Designer-for-mass-market fashion

P.E Nation, known for its vibrant and urban sportswear, collaborated with H&M, a brand celebrated for its accessibility and trend-focused apparel. The resulting collection were sporty-chic pieces with an eye on value.

Why it works

• Perfect fusion. Combining P.E Nation’s athletic flair with H&M’s fashion-forward approach made for an exciting and wearable collection.
• Accessibility for all. While P.E Nation stands in the upscale market, its collaboration with H&M made its unique style approachable to a wider audience.
• Mutual boost. Both brands enjoyed the spotlight, with P.E Nation gaining global visibility through H&M’s expansive reach and H&M injecting a fresh, sporty design into its lineup.

Takeaways

• Bridging the gap. Collaborations can make luxury or niche styles more accessible to the general public.
• Shared spotlight. Partnering with a well-known brand can increase visibility and brand recognition exponentially.
• Diversity in unity. Merging two distinct styles can produce a collection that appeals to a broader spectrum of consumers.

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16. S’well and Bearaby

Category: Eco-conscious lifestyle pairing

S’well’s mission has always been to reduce single-use plastic consumption with its sleek and functional water bottles. Bearaby, meanwhile, champions a good night’s sleep through its sustainably crafted weighted blankets. 

Together, they crafted a limited edition line of water bottles where sustainability met comfort.

Why it works

• Shared values. Both brands prioritize sustainability. This collaboration amplified their shared mission to offer products that benefit the planet and their customers.
• Broadening horizons. While both brands cater to different market segments, their collaboration introduced each brand to the other’s customer base, widening their reach.
• Unique product line. The retail brand collaboration resulted in products resonating with fans who prioritize eco-friendly choices without compromising style and function.

Takeaways

• Synergy matters. The most impactful collaborations stem from brands with aligned values and missions.
• Cross-promotion expands reach. Collaborating with brands from different market segments can introduce your products to a new audience.
• Sustainability sells. Today’s consumers are more eco-conscious. Brands that emphasize sustainability in their collaborations resonate well with modern audiences.

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17. TeaSpressa and Greenwood Brewing

Category: Beverage innovation crossover

Tea and coffee brand TeaSpressa decided to take things up a notch by partnering with Greenwood Brewing. Greenwood, an Arizona brewery committed to fresh and flavorful brews, was the ideal partner for this venture. The two companies created a fusion of beverages that cater to tea lovers, coffee aficionados, and beer enthusiasts.

Why it works

• Shared values. Both brands prioritize quality and a unique drink experience. This mutual commitment created a solid foundation for their collaboration.
• Diverse audience appeal. By merging the worlds of tea, coffee, and beer, they tapped into a broad audience spectrum, ensuring the collaboration offered something for everyone.
• Innovation. In a market where newness is cherished, this collaboration presented a fresh take on beverages, making it an exciting venture for loyal and new customers.

Takeaways

• Synergy is crucial. For collaborations to be effective, there must be a natural synergy between the brands. Shared values and objectives make the partnership more authentic.
• Broaden the horizon. Venturing beyond the traditional scope of your brand and merging different worlds can result in exciting and unique offerings.
• Stay true to brand values. While innovation is key, ensuring that any new product or collaboration remains true to the brand’s core identity is vital.

18. Brooklyn Candle Studio and Pura

Category: Home fragrance category expansion

Brooklyn Candle Studio, eco-friendly scented candle brand, found an ideal partner in Pura, a home fragrances brand. Together, they created a Pura Smart diffuser infused with some of Brooklyn Candle Studio’s signature scents.

Why it works

• Shared passion for fragrance. Both brands, at their core, are all about creating immersive fragrance experiences. This mutual love for scent set the stage for their collaboration.
• Eco-consciousness. In today’s world, where sustainability is key, both brands prioritize eco-friendly practices, making their partnership resonate with a conscious audience.
• Complementary expertise. While Brooklyn Candle Studio brings mastery in scent, Pura adds its innovative touch with fragrance diffusion. This complementary expertise ensured a holistic fragrance experience for users.

Takeaways

• Aligned brand values matter. Successful collaborations often stem from brands with shared core values, ensuring a genuine partnership.
• Leverage each other’s strengths. Rather than overlapping, the best collaborations allow each brand to bring its unique strengths to the table.
• Engage the community. Both brands have strong communities of fragrance lovers. By combining forces, they engaged—and excited—an even broader audience.

How to launch your next brand collaboration

Ever wondered why some brand collaboration examples make headlines and stay in our minds for a long time, while others just fade away? It’s not just luck: There are certain things that the most successful brand collaborations have in common. Let’s uncover these “secret ingredients.”

1. Choose the right retail partners

Imagine two friends who get along because they both love playing tennis. This kinship is the same with brands. When two iconic brands have similar beliefs or values, their partnership feels genuine—creating a bond between the brands and their customers.

Collaborating with brands with similar expertise that aren’t direct competitors can be a good strategy.

But before pairing with another retailer, check that you’re both getting value from the collaboration. Each brand should bring its strengths and resources to a partnership—whether that’s an established audience or a robust supply chain to lean on when manufacturing the new product. These unique offerings allow both parties to create a product or campaign you couldn’t have done alone.

How to find brand collaboration partners

To find the right collaboration partner, prioritize fit over category. Look for brands that serve your customer in different moments (e.g., travel, gifting, or recovery) rather than just those selling adjacent products.

You can do this through:

• Customer journey mapping. Identify brands that naturally appear alongside yours, like luggage and travel-sized skin care, for example.
• Social media research. Use social listening and hashtag searches to see which brands your audience already organically associates with your category.
• Industry events. Use trade shows to vet brand chemistry in person and discover partners faster than cold outreach.
• Shopify Collective. Use this marketplace to find operationally compatible partners already set up for shared merchandising and co-selling.
• Creator networks. Leverage Shopify Collabs to test collaboration angles with creator audiences before committing to long-term brand partnerships.

2. Set your goal

To guide your decision on which brand collaboration to launch, think about what you want the result to be. Do you want more sales? More store traffic? More email subscribers to retarget once the hype dies down? 

“Before collaboration you go over the goal of the collaboration,” explains Lindsay Carter, founder and CEO at activewear brand SET Active, in a ShopifyMasters interview. “Is it brand awareness? Is it customer acquisition? Then you build out what it’s going to take to hit that goal. You need to quantify that data so that you can see if you’re making an ROI.”

Let’s say your goal is to increase foot traffic in your New York store. Retailers with locations out of state likely won’t be ideal partners, nor will brands that don’t have a large customer base in the city. You’d be better off finding a local partner with an established regional brand. Since the goal is to drive foot traffic, a co-created product only available in-store could do the trick.

3. Communicate clearly

Think of a group project at work. The process goes smoothly when everyone talks and understands each other. 

The same goes for brand collabs. In successful partnerships, brands communicate clearly with each other. They discuss ideas, sort out differences, and make plans, ensuring everyone is on the same page from start to finish.

4. Plan your strategy

Smart brands always keep an ear out for what their customers are saying. Understanding what your fans love allows you to create collaborations that achieve your goal.

Regardless of your route, remember that both brands should benefit from the partnership. If only one brand gets all the attention or sales from the ongoing partnership, it’s not a true collaboration. The best partnerships ensure that both brands grow and succeed together, so both sides have clear deliverables and expectations.

5. Measure results

Understanding the value of brand collaborations is one thing, but analyzing their success is another. The easiest approach is to reference back to your initial goal. If that was to increase foot traffic, how many more people entered your store from the brand collaboration?

This is where it’s important to have detailed POS analytics. Shopify unifies order, inventory, and customer data across all sales channels so you can easily spot:

• How many co-created products you’ve sold (both in-store and online)
• Inventory metrics like days inventory outstanding, which shows how long it’s taken to sell your co-created products 
• Which joint email marketing campaigns influenced purchases 
• How many people visited your store off the back of the brand collaboration, using an app like Dor

“After a collaboration we sit down and we go over the details of how it did, the units that sold,” explains SET Active’s Lindsay Carter. “Let’s say we wanted to grab Texas as customer acquisition. Did we grab new customers in Texas, yes or no? If the answer was yes over a certain percentage then we know we hit our goals on that collaboration." 

Key metrics for collaboration success

To measure one brand collaboration example’s success, focus on KPIs that reflect incremental growth and long-term value.

• Incremental sales. Revenue generated above your normal baseline.
• Conversion rate. Percentage of collaboration-driven visitors who purchase.
• Average order value (AOV). Whether partners drive higher spend per order via bundles or exclusives.
• Customer acquisition cost (CAC) and return on ad spend (ROAS). Efficiency metrics to determine how affordably you’re acquiring new customers.
• Customer lifetime value (CLV). Measures if the partnership attracts repeat buyers rather than one-off shoppers.
• Engagement and earned media. Audience response and the value of organic social exposure.

How Shopify Collabs helps with retail partnerships

The Shopify Collabs app lets you find, recruit, and manage creator partnerships. You can send and track gifts, offer custom discount codes to each approved creator, and pay commission automatically through your Shopify admin. You can also manage creators across various social platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Brands can use Shopify Collabs for product seeding, affiliate programs, ambassador communities, and creator campaign management.

Here are some brand collaboration examples using Shopify Collabs:

• immi. The healthy ramen company built its “Ram Fam” community of more than 400 brand ambassadors using Shopify Collabs to handle product sampling, affiliate tracking, and commission management. The platform helped them generate over $200,000 in affiliate sales and 4,400 referred orders, and their most successful ambassador had just 10,000 Instagram followers.
• Duradry. The deodorant brand built a network of more than 250 creator partners and used Shopify Collabs to manage the entire team. Within just seven months, it generated over $50,000 in affiliate sales and reduced its customer acquisition costs by 29%.
• Moonboon. This baby sleep accessories brand built a community of more than 300 creators across five European markets using Shopify Collabs to manage their Ambassador Family program. It vetted creators for brand alignment, as demonstrated by its top performer, who generated over $110,000 in sales with fewer than 25,000 social media followers.

The benefits of brand collaborations in retail

Successful brand collaborations create value for retailers. They can help brands reach new audiences, generate excitement around products, strengthen brand perception, and create new opportunities for sales. When the partnership is a strong fit, both brands can benefit from each other’s audience, credibility, and expertise—here’s how:

Reach double the audience

Each brand has its group of loyal customers. When both partners come together through brand partnerships, they get to reach the other’s customers. It’s a win-win situation where both brands share the spotlight, and Deloitte’s 2026 outlook found that 73% of retailers and consumer products companies reported increased commercial collaboration.

For example, one brand may have a huge fan base who loves sneakers. Another brand makes socks. Together, the two brands partner to offer sneaker lovers the perfect pair of socks. Both brands get to share and grow their audience.

Generate fresh ideas

Sometimes, a brand can get stuck in a creative rut—but when two brands collaborate, they mix their styles and develop fresh new ideas. Each brand can tap into the other’s design, social, and PR teams. This helps brand partnerships broaden horizons and try out new ideas and techniques.

Create more buzz

When two companies collaborate, people notice. They discuss it with friends and post it on their own social media channels, and the excitement spreads. This creates a buzz that’s hard to match with regular product launches, hence why Sprout Social’s 2025 research found that 59% of marketers planned to partner with more influencers in 2025 than they did in 2024. 

Build trust and credibility

Collaborations help lesser-known brands get introduced to a bigger target audience. If your favorite brand teams up with another one you’ve never tried, you’re more likely to give it a shot. LTK’s 2025 creator trends report found that 57% of millennials and 64% of Gen Z report increased trust in a brand or product when recommended by a creator.

Plan your next retail brand collaboration

Brand collaborations can spark innovation, captivate new audiences, and create memorable products that stand the test of time. 

When you find a retail partner that fits well with your growth goals and your ideal customer base, you can do great things together. Start by analyzing these brand collaboration examples and determine how to replicate their success in your future partnerships.