← We Fixed It, You're Welcome
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This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome. You think you know a browser, but
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Gemini and Chrome, that's new.
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and we're live from the
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living room as Doug eyes up the match day spread.
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He's reaching for the buffalo wing. Perfect.
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Hang on.
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What's this? Oh, he's gone for a can of Pepsi too.
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Incredible.
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What a finish. Sensational combination.
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Look at the delight on his face.
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Food deserves Pepsi.
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Welcome to We Fixed It. You're welcome. The show where we take over companies. You come along for the ride and we try to put them back better than we found them. Let's call this out. A brand on its own can get a little stale. Even if you're a fan or a loyal customer. Once you buy what they have to sell, you might be good for a while. You might even start to tune that brand out. But guess what? Brands hate that. Brands want your attention 24 7. They crave it. They'll do anything for it. Enter brand collaborations where one brand teams up with another brand to make something together. Suddenly there's a spectacle, there's something new to see, and more importantly, something new to buy. Have I bought a Coca Cola that tastes like an Oreo? Yes. Have I bought Oreos that taste like Coca Cola? Also yes. Don't judge. So did a lot of people. But for every brand crossover that makes an impact, there are dozens of tryhards that just don't connect. Or they seem to exist just for the novelty and shock factor. And now every brand out there seems to be pairing up with every other brand. Well, Chino, Melissa and I are going to try to figure out why some brand crossovers are successful and how to keep the next one. Because there will be a next one from becoming a cautionary tale. That's going to be our fix. And in order to do that, we're going to need to know more. Melissa, what do you have for us?
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B
Well, brand collaborations became powerful because they offer surprise access and social currency all at once. In fashion, for example, sneakers, food and luxury collabs have evolved from rare crossovers into a standard marketing playbook. So consumers can now recognize that formula fairly quickly. That's where the fatigue starts. Brand fatigue research indicates that overexposure can reduce trust and engagement. And broader advertising fatigue research shows that people become apathetic when brands repeat the same tactics too often. So Swatch's royal pop launch shows that a collab can still defy the odds. Swatch said the watch was sold only in selected stores starting May 16, 2026. And Reuters reported that the watches were priced around $400 to $420, which is really high for a Swatch, with complete sets later selling for over $25,000 on StockX, which is resell. The launch created a complete scene, too. It was reported that about 20 of Swatch's 220 global stores experienced complete chaos. I know that happened in my state. Coverage from other outlets described crowds, closure, store level disruptions. You know, the lines were just flooding the malls. You couldn't even get in that kind of thing. That said, the longer term question I think is whether Swatch really created that lasting brand value or just short term noise. And I think Aaron, you just mentioned that, you know, CNN reported that the collab produced huge attention and a market pulse. But the real test is whether it deepens loyalty and future demand. And mostly feeds does it just mostly feed resale, which is really what it's doing right now and create a spectacle. Swatch isn't the only one that changed the game. Supreme and Louis Vuitton made streetwear and luxury feel like a cultural event. McDonald's and cactus plant flea market turned nostalgia and scarcity into a real moment. H and M has designer collabs. I know Target has done designer collabs that making fashion feel both accessible and exclusive at the same time. And who hasn't had one of the Dorito version tacos at Taco Bell? Right? So again, there are collabs that work. Each has worked for different reasons. And it's also not just to make chaos. So the real question is how do brands break through when consumers have seen the playbook too many times? How do you create something fresh, meaningful and worth caring about again? And panel, let's talk about it. I'm sure I know Chino, I know you have thoughts. Erin, you as well.
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C
I will say I think that the Swatch Times AP collab is brilliant. You know, we talk a lot about brand fatigue over these like marketing kind of it feels like a scheme, but this one hit and I think the reason is because AP watches you know, they can run up to $500,000. So they are. It's not even like a Rolex, which again, I wouldn't mind a Rolex. It is way, way, way, way out of reach for the everyday person. And so when Swatch was able to bring in one of the most luxury brand as a watch for a collab, this is why I think it went bananas in terms of the public, like, need and want for this you see in the malls. And just like the mayhem that it created. And I think that again, for Swatch, it definitely increased, you know, sales deeply. Right. Swatch is now a name. In the last two or three weeks, I kind of forgot about Swatch and it's come back and I think it's been an incredible marketing strategy for them. As we mentioned, not everyone hits, but I think this, they've done it right. And I would love to kind of dive deep into the why. Because not everybody is able to do collabs the same way with the same punch.
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B
Yeah, I think that, like, the interesting thing about Swatch too is like, brands need to measure these things more than just sales. Right. And so I think, Tino, you brought a really great point in that, you know, these were two brands that have fundamentally the same foundation, which is watches. Right. So really what Swatch and AP need to look at is the sell through the brand lift, the repeat purchase intent, you know, the media quality, whether the collab really created that right kind of secondary market signal which it has. The point is to know whether you've created more than just a moment, but a kind of a relationship and more than just a spike that, you know, a viral moment that's going to go away. So that raw sellout and frenzy mattered. At Swatch, they show demand. But the more strategic question is whether that will help to build upon the heat and the right audience to kind of get Swatch going. And I think that Swatches really trying to reinvent itself over time because I actually have a Swatch and I love it. And I've had Swatches for many, many years, since the very beginning. And I think that they. I have seen them get more sophisticated in their, their, you know, it used to be the plastic $20 watch that you could, you know, throw away kind of feeling like throwaway fashion. And I love that over time, you know, it' like I said, more sophisticated in the mechanism, in the, in the materials and in these partnerships. This partnership was huge, Chino, to your point, because this is an item that is so scarce in terms of the ability for the normal consumer to actually purchase that. They have done an amazing job by really kind of creating a frenzy around like, look at, we just took this highest brand watch and we're creating something different. And like, you know, it was mayhem here and in my city, you know, like, you know, they had to actually shut the entire mall down because people broke in trying line before the mall was even open.
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C
Right.
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B
So it was, you know, I was like, wow. Like, you know, and when I look at it, I was like, okay. But I wasn't like, personally, I was like, wow, that's something I really want. You know, I actually, there are other swatches that I actually preferred, but I think that that's a, it's a great thing that it will get people looking at swatches in a different light.
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A
Yeah, Melissa, I remember those, the plastic swatches from like elementary school days. But even then it seemed to be like there was such a variety of designs and, you know, yeah, they were cheaper and more of a price, more of an accessible price point, which made it appealing for kids. But like I said, there was a variety of designs. There wasn't quite a scarcity, but, you know, there was an appeal to, wait, you have that one and I've got this one and there's comparisons and I can't get the one that you have. You know what I mean? Like, it wasn't a scarcity necessarily, but the sheer variety made each one feel like kind of its own, its own unique, ownable keepsake or, you know what I mean, like wearable art or something. There was some kind of cachet to it even back in the day. So pairing up with another company that has just that elevation and that out of reach aspect, it kind of makes sense. Like there's something inherently correct to this one.
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C
And I would say too, just to add on that, Aaron, like, what I love about this collection, going back to what you were talking about, the different colors, they emulated that. So it still remains swatched to its core where it's like, you know, you can have, you know, I can be a blue, you can be a yellow, you can be a red. You had the variety and then you paired that with the luxury scarcity mindset that AP brings. And so I think for both brands, because again, I know everyone's focused on Swatch and it's, you know, bringing Swatch back. But for ap, you got to ask, you know, why would they, you know, this huge, luxury, unattainable watch, you know, for the CEO there is it cheapening your brand? And I don't Think this does that. I think for both brands, it actually played really, really well because you have the scarcity again and that's what the hype is. There's only a few of these released. They're probably not going to do another one of these. So again, the resale market is, I'm sure going to continue to skyrocket for ap and that's what they do. But then again, you stay true to the Swatch brand of the colors and the collection. And so I think again, you know, 10 out of 10 across the board.
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A
Yeah, well, and that's the worst case scenario, you know, like, of a brand collab is you both come out looking worse for it. You know, if people realize Swatch can't go up market and then they drag another company down with them and then all of a sudden it's, it just seems too attainable and they lose their premium aspect, then you've diluted both brands. So that's what everybody that would enter into this kind of partnership would be cautioned about is, you know, what's the ultimate effect of this and what. Let's play out the worst case scenario. You know, what happens if this goes horribly wrong? Because we've seen it go horribly wrong.
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B
Well, and also the idea around repeating the playbook too often. Right. I think that's one of the things that it's interesting because I think about Target and its partnerships with designers. Like the first time it did the Massimo brand collab, and that was like the same type of thing where it was selling out immediately. They've done Kate Spade, they've done Diane von Furstenberg, you know, and now they're still, still doing those things. But I feel like there's less engagement. I, you know, I know Target has its own issues anyway, but I think that, like, I, I don't really hear about people like getting up at 4am to get like that scarf. And I, I have to say I was one of those people to get that scarf because I wanted it. But like now, if you look that they're continually doing like two or three collabs a year, like big ones, and I wonder if it's kind of gotten to a point where it's a little tired.
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C
It a hundred percent is right. I think, too, like, for Swatch, it was the novelty of this, of this collab, which is why people are running, because they're like, oh, what? This may never happen again. And I hope it doesn't, at least for. Maybe they do it every 10 years or something just to, like, bring it back. But when you look at Target and these very specific luxury items like other places as well, it gets boring. It gets trite. You know, you see it with shoes sometimes, too. It's like you'll collab with even a celebrity or an influencer, you know, hair products and all of these different things. And it's great. But as a consumer, it doesn't make it stand out than anything else because it's just the same products that being are pushed just within, you know, this marketing, you know, rap of it's a collab. But, you know, when you look at going back to Target, if it's three times a year, you're not like, okay, I'm going to rush to get it. It'll probably still be there after this opens up. And I think there's the other piece there too, that having it always on doesn't always work.
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A
When these collabs started, you know, with the big X between a brand and a brand, there's something that felt like taboo or transgressive about it. Like, wait, are we allowed to do this? Because brands used to be such a fixed entity, you know, and yes, you could go to McDonald's and get a McFlurry and there would be Oreos or, or M M's on it. But you didn't think of that about that as a, you know, this big. I've got to be aware Hyper aware as a consumer and as a, a fan of these brands that they're doing this collaboration. But then you see, you know, Pepsi did a, a line of Pepsi with Peeps, you know, the marshmallow Easter Peeps flavor, you know, and they've got to do a big push on that. Like we all have to know that Pepsi and Peeps are together whether we buy it or not. That's up to us. But it's when you, when it's happening with that frequency and that regularity, like the Swatch thing, like you said, maybe is a once, once every 10 years, they can't overripe it. And we're all going to run out and buy a swatch for 10 times more than we would typically buy it all the time. But something like a, a Pepsi or a Taco Bell, like you mentioned, they have to do these. Now that the Playbook's out there, they kind of have to do these always on. We're going to shock you again. Guess who we're partnering with? Or it's just, it's part of the standard marketing playbook now.
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B
Yeah. And I also think it's really focusing on real customers and what they want and what they're looking for. So that customer insight is so important, especially when you're trying to build these collaborations and not just partnering with people, just ran. And I'm not saying that any of those are random. They're very obviously well thought out. But the strongest collabs have a reason, right? The why of that, why they exist. A clear point of view, a post launch plan probably that turns that attention into that loyalty in that community and also kind of can have this repetitive behavior. I think that a good test about whether a collaboration will still make sense is if you removed all the hype. Swatch worked because it combined status, scarcity, design in a way that created that real moment. But again, the longer term value question is whether the brand is going to be able to continue to convert that, and I believe it will in a moment into trust and future demand. Because I think that what it has done is open that door and to folks that maybe were on the higher end of the watch. You know, having a watch as an accessory and you know, investment, we could do a whole podcast on that. There's a whole group of those folks that will then start exploring the swatches and like Aaron, to your point, being able to get your hands on a Swatch that we had in high school is probably worth a lot of money these days, right? You know, I have a Funny Swatch story on my honeymoon. This is a long time ago, 35 years ago, my husband and I both had swatches. We thought, you know, we're backpacking around Europe. You don't want to have something that could get stolen. And we were in Rome and a guy tried to take the watch off my husband's arm and, like, would not let go of his arm while we were walking. You know, we were walking around and I was like, what is he trying to get?
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C
Like, he.
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B
Not his wallet, you know, it was the Swatch. So, you know, I think they have created more of a moment and this is a collab that will probably benefit them just as much as, you know, I'm not sure AP needs it to your point, you know, that, you know, they're selling these huge watches, but, you know, it also brings a whole different marketplace to them.
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C
Right. So obviously Swatch and AP have done a really great job. But I want to talk about brand that we know and love that is renowned for all of their collaborations. Nike. You know, we look at their collaboration with Michael Jordan that is still going strong, like my entire existence, you know, people have been running for the different Jordans. And, you know, this. Nike is a brand that, you know, historically speaking, has done collaborations well, but they missed. And back in 2023, they did a collaboration with Tiffany, which a lot of consumers and fans were really excited about. Nike, similar to Swatch, you know, for the everyday person, attainable pricing, Tiffany's, again, very luxury. It can go slightly attainable to, you know, hyper luxury. And so for a lot of fans, they were excited to see these two come together. And, you know, when you had the beautiful Tiffany blue box, everybody was excited. I remember watching many TikTok videos and, you know, unwrapping videos of the box. And, you know, the problem was that was as good as it got. The actual execution of the shoe really fell flat. You had the iconic Nike Air Jordans with a tiny little Tiffany blue swoosh and a silver tag. And it just, you know, people were like, is this tiny little swoosh was what we were paying all these. All this money for and what we were hyped about. And, you know, again, for both brands, not great. It actually filled miserably. And I don't think they're going to collaborate again. And it just reminds us of the need to make sure that when we are doing these collaborations that the execution and standards still needs to be held by both brand. And so I'm not sure if it was on the Nike side or if it was Tiffany side, but it was a big miss. And I think if they did more focus groups, anyone would have looked at it and said, we need more Tiffany blue. That's what we're paying for. That's the collab. And so, yeah, example of not a great collab.
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A
Yeah, they tried. You have to keep trying. But like, mostly I think that's interesting, Sheena, but most of what you were saying about the intersection of consumers, like with Taco Bell, like, it probably, I bet they did their market research, but it probably wasn't that big a reach to figure that Taco Bell customers also like Doritos. So maybe that Venn diagram is pretty big. You know, with Tiffany and Nike, maybe not so big. You know, maybe they found out the hard way once it was out in the universe, but maybe it's a much smaller overlap than they wanted to expect. Even if trending or market signals dictated otherwise. Like, sometimes you have to go full fledged into a launch and drop it and then say who's picking it up? And if people don't, like, there's questions to ask on the other side of it. But yeah, you have to try.
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B
Well, and you know, I think that you, you know, I love that you brought this up as kind of one of those failed collabs. And I think it is true because like Aaron, the Venn diagram of Tiffany and Nike, it's very small, right? And so they had the sneaker, you know, with the little swoosh with the blue. Okay, great, that's Nike. And then they also had, I think they also had two other items that I recall seeing somewhere. Like a whistle. Like a silver.
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C
Yeah, silver tag. Like it was like a tag.
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B
Silver tag, yeah. And silver plated whistle, which is very Tiffany esque. But like, is that really something that a Nike customer, you know, really wants? You know, you got soccer moms and you know, I'm not really sure that that was the right type of collab that. But sports collabs have always worked well when there's like celebrity attachment. And the question is also when that goes south because of something happening. Like, we can definitely talk about Yeezy, Kanye west and Adidas. One of the most successful collabs for Adidas ever. They said they made over $2 billion off of that. And then when he started going off the rails for all his different reasons and they broke up, you know, it was, you know, it was unfortunate because it really was something that they could not have foreseen. I think that when they, you know, came together, he had his own clothing line. He was. He's still one of the most popular rappers out there. He's a. He's a huge celebrity, and he brought a lot to them and made Adidas streetwear seem very hit, very cool. Right. And he, you know, sold out all of his stuff. So I think that's one of those interesting collabs where, you know, you don't even realize what's around the corner, and something can really devastate that in the long run. And. And it's that sour note that it ends with. Right. You know, so I'm sure Adidas is like, oh, maybe we should stick to sports people. Right? You know, or, you know, even though sports people are not without, you know, their own issues as well. So, again, I feel like that's a weird collab that was very successful and then kind of broke apart, really, in the public eye.
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C
I gotta jump in here too, because it's actually. This one is a interesting one. And, you know, I would say with Yeezy, put Adidas back on the map. They were dying, they were falling. They best ever. And what was interesting, yes, he was going through what he was going through. He's a human being, and people forget about that. But. But what's interesting, and I think that, again, going back to your point, Melissa, on when you're working with humans, you never know really what to expect. Right? Life happens, Things happen. There's that aspect of it, and there's always a risk involved. But with the Adidas brand and partnership, what was interesting, even after the breakup, they were still selling that stock really well. So for Adidas, actually, even after all of the drama around it, they were still making bank on yay. So it's an interesting one where, yes, they broke up, but the collaboration has still gone, and they're actually looking to release some unreleased things back in 2026. Again, contractually, I don't know how that works when you break up with somebody from a collab, but Adidas is still profiting off of Kanye West. So that's just an interesting note on that. But I want to talk about another, you know, going into the similar family of Pepsi and Kendall Jenner. Right. And so that was an interesting collab where, again, at time and place and reading the room is always very important. And, you know, it was the time of 2020, a lot of civil unrest, you know, when it comes to things like Black Lives Matter, particularly in the US and there was this ad, and I'm sure everyone is. Our listeners have. Have seen this, but just if you haven't, you know, it was Kendall Jenner, you know, at a protest and there were two different sides, and she picks up the Pepsi and says, you know, we should all just drink a Pepsi and everything should be fine. Right. And there was huge backlash with that. It really did hurt Pepsi's numbers for Kendall Jenner as well. She had to take a pause. And it was quite hurtful because again, she's again, still at the top of her game. But there was a lot of hate that came from that and understandably so when it comes to just the lack of awareness in the room. And so I think that's a really good example of, you know, it hurt both brands and obviously they've all been able to recover since. But it was one that was incredibly insightful because there were not many collabs happening because it was also deep in Covid.
- [27:16]
A
Yeah, if I remember right, we had a guest that was associated with that commercial and out of a long track record of very successful other endeavors, and they said, yeah, we messed up. We were really wrong, and they owned it. But yeah, that, that was. It was tonally off. Everything about it was off. And we could do a whole nother spin off episode about the risks of just a celebrity endorser. You know, one person, whether they're an influencer, they are a celebrity. Like people, like you said, you know, people have issues and people can be problematic for any number of reasons, or they could just fall out of fashion in the moment and then all of a sudden you put your entire stock into somebody that has no cultural currency anymore. So there's a lot of danger there versus maybe like these brand collabs where if a brand's been around for a good while or they've been around for decades and they're a name and you're a name. You know, maybe there's a little bit less risk there, maybe less reward too, but potentially. But less risk in hitching your wagon to another established company where if it goes well, you all ride the wave. If it doesn't go well, you go back to businesses usual. And people say, okay, that was an experiment.
- [28:26]
B
So good, so good, so good.
- [28:29]
C
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- [28:54]
B
Yeah, I think that's why? From a perspective I really focus on that. You have to have your finger on the pulse of the consumer. So I think, like, one of the most positive and successful collabs would be supreme and Louis Vuitton. And I think that that's a landmark collaboration because it fused streetwear, which is super hot right now. Right. And always has. Well, not always has been, but has been in the last generation with luxury status, which in of itself, luxury status is his own thing. Right. And so it wasn't that. It wasn't a shock at the time. It kind of was. Right. Because supreme was kind of this, like, streetwear brand. You and you think of Louis Vuitton and all the high fashion models and celebs that, you know, you know, kind of front that. But it created this really huge cultural moment. It helped define the modern collab as something of its own, its own spectacle in this era. And I think it also lends to where Louis Vuitton is now, if I'm not incorrect, isn't Pharrell. They're one of their head designers.
- [30:13]
C
He's the creative director.
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B
Right. How did we go here to this point where Pharrell, this amazing musician and, you know, is now and producer is now, you know, here at the house of Louis Vuitton.
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C
Right.
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B
So, again, I feel like that is kind of keeping in the moment. And one of the things that I think we've said on this podcast so frequently about so many companies and so many areas around brand, around fixing things, is that you have to know your audience. And it's amazing to me that people don't really know what's going on. And I. You know, like, I even think that probably Taco Bell had somebody on social media who saw, you know, people are putting Doritos in their Tacos. Right. You know what I mean? Like, so why aren't we doing that? And I think that's how some of these things come about, is like, do you know what's going on out there? That's really something that could actually help you as a company. And I think that's where, you know, these collabs that do well. You know, again, I think the Yeezy and Adidas. Adidas needed something to get it out of its rut, to your point, you know? Right. And they say even after this broken relationship, 10% of their profits come from Yeezy. Yeezy branded. And so that is amazing. Like, so again, even though that was a failed partnership in the sense that, like, they broke up, it wasn't a failure for Adidas at all?
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C
No, not at all. And I think there's also another insight that I want to touch on too. And we talked about supreme and Louis Vuitton and there's an interesting. So supreme as a brand, they were the anti marketing. It was all about, you know, this skate culture streetwear where there were the Drops. So again, it created a level of scarcity. The same thing with AP. Not everybody can buy a 500k watch. Right. And I think it's brilliant if you're a brand that is a little more accessible, quote unquote, and if you're able to connect with something where it feels scarce. And I think why Louis Vuitton and Supreme, it was such a successful collaboration is because supreme brought the drops, Louis Vuitton, but the luxury. And it provided an opportunity for consumers who again, when we look at the Venn diagram, overlapped definitely a lot because of the scarcity and the luxury. But I do think it bode well for both brands. And, you know, you go back to Swatch where, yeah, it's, you know, connecting to a brand like AP where you're able to create a moment that people want and they feel like if I don't get it, I'm never going to get it. So I better, you know, spend $400 now and have something that I know in two or three years is going to resell so much further. And, you know, now we're all going to be looking at Swatch in the same way. Louis Vuitton, outside of their collaboration with supreme and bringing on Pharrell, who was again, one of the first celebrities who really put supreme on. You know, there is a connection there. So I think it's really insightful and that scarcity is something that brands need to look at.
- [33:37]
A
Yeah. And Pharrell makes sense. He's. He's a style icon and, you know, he's a trendsetter. So why not, you know, professionally bring him in and say, okay, you're in charge. That's. We talk about natural fits versus unnatural fits. That one works. But. And the Nike, the Air Jordan, they made a movie. Obviously it worked and still working. But Nike's also doing. I saw a collab. I think it's Nike with Toy Story 5. So you have adult size. They're adult size shoes that are. They look like Toy Story. Do we need it? People are going to probably line up and buy them. But was the market asking for that or is it something that is fabricating a moment? You know, is. And is it just for resale? Is it going to propel the resale market.
- [34:23]
B
I feel like, you know, who's probably the been the best at this is McDonald's. Let's just be real about collabs. So McDonald's uses these moments in time so well for their Happy Meals, right? Like, every Happy Meal has a little prize in it, and the prize is relevant to the. To whatever. And, and. And it's usually a collab with a movie, you know, Pokemon, whatever it might be, you know, and all of a sudden you've got, like, people my age who are out there buying Happy Meals because they want that one Pokemon, right? You know, and it's so funny because I've seen a lot of that on TikTok and things like that. And I do think that they've gotten that right, where it makes sense that they have these types of things in their. In that collab and they. And they do it. And it's not just the toy, right? It's not just a thing. But I know when they did, for example, they did a collab with the Korean Demon hunters, right? And so they had, like, the two different sides had two different Happy Meals. So you could order one from the demon hunters, you could order the other one, which I forgot what that was. And they were different meals. One had chicken nuggets, one had a hammer, right. You know, whatever it might have been. And they had different types of things and different boxes. And so again, I think that there's. There is a playbook to collaborations and how you actually, you know, do that. And, you know, to be fair, McDonald's is constantly. Every month it's a new collab, right? And it. And it's not just adding a toy or adding a sticker or, you know, a washable tattoo or whatever it into the box. It's actually looking at how can we make this an event, right?
- [36:15]
A
Yeah.
- [36:16]
B
So they're actually kind of leaning into. And that's across all consumers, right? I think most people can afford to go to McDonald's.
- [36:26]
C
Yeah. And speaking of the moments, it's like creating collectibles, right? Like, you know, they did back in the day. I remember, like, Beanie Babies when they were there and like the mini ones and, you know, going back to like when I was in like, high school age and the Minion movie came out and everyone was like, going to McDonald's, I remember, and getting all of these different minions. And I know a friend that still has theirs on their keychain. And I remember we were out and about park and someone was like, hey, is This a minion from back in the day. And it's again, it's bringing subcultures together, which I think is also really important. And I think, again, looking at that Venn diagram and seeing where it makes sense, McDonald's, you got an easy layup there because it's, you know, centered around children's movies and toys and what's in with the kids. Where with Swatch and ap, you know, you're looking at who was buying swatches and who's talking so many rap songs, you know, pop smoke, you know, Kanye west and Jay Z, you know, talking about their ap. So that's really what brought kind of the brand to, like, the everyday person in terms of the knowledge of them. And now being able to bridge that. Brilliant. Again, going back to supreme and Louis Vuitton. And I think if you have that scarcity, going back to the playbook, you have the right insight as to like, would this make sense for our customers and would work for you, too? And let's partner together there. Let's, you know, have a little date and see what happens here. And then also, like you said, Aaron jumping in, right? You can't do it. Half seas. Go out Tiffany's, maybe try it again with Nike. More blue. Listen to what the customers are wanting. But I think collabs can be brilliant when they're not overdone.
- [38:13]
A
So let me ask you, because I'm starting to categorize the things we're talking about, and I'll bring that to the conversation in a minute. But when you take something that's, let's say, ultra luxury and something that's ultra attainable, and you mix those two together, at what point is it enough to own a little piece of something luxury? And you're good. You're good, right? You check a box versus you become a consumer for that new luxury item. Does it, does it dematriculate? Like, does it matter that they sold you something? But do you, you know what I mean? Like, you got a little taste of Louis Vuitton because it was baked into something else. Are you good now or are you primed as a new potential target acquisition customer for Louis Vuitton? Like, is that the start of your customer journey?
- [39:00]
C
I would say, you know, Louis Vuitton, like, so, you know, McDonald's is really great because that's really a price point for everybody, right? That's what their whole business is built on, where Louis Vuitton still is a luxury item, even supreme, their pricing is quite high. But I want to talk about things Like H and N and their different collabs with various luxury retail items. And I remember when they did one with Balmain, which again, out of reach, you know, for the everyday person. And I remember I was at. I just happened to be shopping at H and M and I was like, why is it so crazy? And it was the. It was the collab drop day and I, you know, I didn't get. Someone took it from my hand. But there was this beautiful dress that I was like, wow. Like I understand why. And you know, maybe I wouldn't have been able to afford it at the time now if I were to get my hands on a Balmain. And if it was like, I'm gonna, you know, maybe I have a wedding or you know, a huge event, I probably would, you know. Cause I had a chance to touch it and feel it. Cause I was never shopping there. And you know, from that perspective, maybe it's not the customer right now, but maybe five or 10 years down the line. Yeah, I do think it can start the customer journey there.
- [40:21]
A
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- [40:50]
B
Yeah, I was gonna, I was gonna add to that Gino. Cause I was thinking about like Target and H and M for example. Carl Logoford had a really successful drop there as well. Is. Does it diminish the value of that brand in that house versus it makes H and M look better. It makes Target look way better.
- [41:15]
C
Right.
- [41:15]
B
You know what I mean? But does it diminish, you know, like the, the brand itself? Like I just wonder about like how careful those brands want to be because they don't want to end up being kind of like mid.
- [41:32]
A
Yeah.
- [41:32]
B
You know, part of what they are is. Yeah. Because you know, you're like, you need to have an appointment to go in and buy, you know, this whatever. You know, it's not like just walking into H and M. Right.
- [41:46]
C
Yeah.
- [41:47]
A
They can over dilute and get too accessible and it's not quite, not quite a collab. But when you can bet buy J. Crew at Costco, you know, it's. It's a different play. You're going mass market and it doesn't mean you'll get the top of the line J. Crew, whatever that is. You'll get, you know, the mass, mass produced J. Crew, the most mass produced thing they can make. But, but again, that might be smart, that might be an entry point to say, well, okay, I got that one button up shirt at Costco. Now I like J. Crew. I didn't know. Let me go check out the J. Crew store. And, and you got me as a customer. It's someone who might never set foot in a J. Crew store on their website and then all of you know, something was put in front of them and now you're training that customer behavior.
- [42:29]
B
Yeah, and I like the idea also that, like, I think that when I've seen it work well is when the collection is very curated. Right. So it's very specific and it's very, it's probably pretty specific in that, like that's not something that you're gonna find in the actual store of Gucci or whatever. You know what I mean? You're, you're gonna find it maybe at H and M, but you're not gonna find it anywhere else. Like, because it's, you know, they're, they're trying, they are trying to keep some separateness to that, to that, to that actual brand. But again, I, I do, I was wondering about that because I did see like there were some real successful drops at H and M. And I was like, H and M, you know, we can talk about fast fashion and everybody like that, you know about that as well. But like, we're talking about collabs here. And I'm like, you know, I feel like that's where you have to be super intentional about how you collab and what, you know, pieces you're going to drop. So that Chino, you know, now you're like, huh, I never thought that maybe I would participate, you know, in this sort of way and actually purchase something from them or rented, you know, or whatever it might be.
- [43:45]
C
And I just going on that and I think the solution is, because it's the question to everyone is like ap, why, why do this collaboration? And it's exactly the key here is the scarcity. You're making a swatch, an ap, only it becomes a collectible item. Those minions were collectible only to McDonald's and that's it. And so because of that scarcity, over time the hope, like my beanie baby sitting in my basement, hopefully they're going to accrue some value there. It becomes more value and more valuable in the resale market. And I think that is the play for AP and for Swatch and it's the want to hit an AP and maybe you'll never get there, but you taste it a little bit. And for ap, it's giving the mass market just a little taste. And it's also that collectible that, you know, again, it's not changing, I think their bottom line, but it's. Are we talking about Rolex? Are we talking about petite Philippe? No, we're talking about APs right now. So I think from both perspectives, again, still very brilliant.
- [44:58]
A
Well, okay, I, yes, I buy that for sure. Let's, let's fix it. I've been keeping track of everything we've been saying. I'm going to put these in some kind of categorization and I'm going to try to put them in terms of risk management. And we can talk about reward too, but let's categorize the types of collaborations we're talking about. So I'd say number one, the no brainer one is form. We'll call it formalizing. Something unofficial. Like Melissa, you were saying, okay, people put chips in there, they bring in their own chips for Taco Bell and their Doritos. We're going to actually own that, you know, s', mores, we're going to own that. We're going to create s' mores bars. We're going to do something that you like. Salsa on your chips. We're giving you salsa chips. You know, it's, it's putting ownership around something that already exists and saying, great, you do this now, it's sanctioned, it's an official collab, come get it. I think that's the lowest risk, probably the lowest excitement maybe, but it's, it's built to last. Then I would go to something, you know, you were saying like shared capabilities. So we're really great at drops and instantaneous demand and scarcity. We're really great at high end luxury. Why don't we combine our strengths together and see what we can come up with? I think that we've seen that play out time and again where that seems to work, where you take two compatible areas of expertise that no one company owns, but together they become a powerhouse. And if, if they put that together, there's something magnetic happens and people are drawn to it. Then I would go to like a shared, if there's a shared audience, the Venn diagram and, or a shared sensibility, you're getting into more of a risk. You, you know, you're, you're predict, you're looking at maybe market tests and social signals and stated behaviors. But are that you, when you mix the two together, say, come buy it, are they actually going to. A shared audience helps. A shared brand sensibility and brand aesthetic, and here's what we stand for, helps the two together, helps to minimize the risk factor. But still, there's something the market has to tell you, whether it works once it's out, and then so hopefully you have both. And then stay with the curated aspect of the collection. If it's too available and too accessible, then people aren't going to want it. Because it seems, especially if you take something that's unattainable and make it very attainable, you just cannibalize your own, your own brand and your own company. So the curation matters, the scarcity matters. The only thing that I haven't accounted for and I don't know how to fix is how do you get these. These special items? If they're special, like really, and they really have value and they're good, how do you get them in the hands of the people who really want them and we'll cherish them and not just drive a flourishing secondary market that's just wanting to drive up prices and cash in. I don't have a fix for that, but. But, you know, with everything we're saying, I think that's the right order for what we should be looking at in terms of collaborations. And if we can give some predictability to whether they work, I think that's the order we should be looking at that. Gina, what do you think about the fix?
- [48:20]
C
I think it's great. Again, you know, are you a Dairy Queen? Steady Eddie. You just want that Oreo, which, please never get rid of. That's my Dairy Queen order. It's my go to one, you know, and I love that if you're gonna do this constantly. And it works that way. Awesome. So there's that side of collab when we're talking about these, you know, never being done before collabs where you're bringing two brands and, you know, marrying them or taking them on a date for, you know, a few weeks or a month. I think what's going to make those brands and that collab last is the scarcity, the collectibility of it all. Again, yes, the resale market is a part of that piece. And I think having that in your plan is important. And I think, you know, again, looking at the Venn diagram and seeing if it makes sense for your people, and if it does, on both ends, go for it. And don't half ass it when you do.
- [49:14]
A
I love it. Melissa, what do you think? Did we fix it?
- [49:18]
C
I think we did.
- [49:19]
B
I think that you. I think that again, understanding consumer insights, understanding what is trending and what we have the palette for is really important. And I think that one of the things that I really do love is when people do take risks and that they. They create something that's unique and maybe a little bit of a surprise, but it's on trend to what. Where things are going. And so I do think that when you've done that, you've created a strong narrative, you've created a desire to be part of something and to purchase some product or service. That's the best way to move forward. I do think, Erin, you bring up a whole nother thing that maybe we need to do a whole podcast on the secondary market because resale is huge.
- [50:09]
A
Yeah.
- [50:10]
B
And I was laughing because I know we've talked about this ad nauseam, but like, you know, when you were talking about the resale, I was like, oh, my God, it's almost like Ticketmaster, right? You know, like we're having the same conversation about, like, why are, you know, why are the bots buying everything? And, you know, and that's. And the chaos that was created in those moments at the Swatch stores, you know, really helped to create this, like, eruption of desire for this product, which was. Is amazing. But at the same time, now we're seeing it, you know, for sale. The $420 watch is now for sale for $20,000 on the market, which it's. To your point, Aaron, Like, I could have gone and stood in line and then they shut them all down because there were so many people there, you know, and I didn't break in, so I don't get one.
- [51:01]
A
Right.
- [51:01]
B
And so that. That is really disappointing. And I think that, you know, one of the things that I've researched, you know, other pundits have said that need to happen, is somehow these brands actually collaborating also with the secondary market and understanding that that is actually something that's going on and not trying to fight it, because that is actually it is a thing, right? And so whether it's off, you know, making sure that it's authentic, right? Like, there's huge secondary market, and then you can go buy something and then you find out it's not really a Louis Vuitton, it's a Lou Vuitton, you know, I don't know, Prado, you know, not Prada, you know, that kind of thing. So, like, again, I feel like that's the kind of thing that, you know, again, maybe for another podcast, but I do think you bring up a, a watch out. That is, is true. It's. It ends up not being for everybody.
- [52:03]
A
Yeah, that, that would be a whole separate side topic is what to do about the, the secondary market. And, you know, you don't want to make them go away. There's value, there's market value in resale. There's the ecological reasons for keeping products around to fulfill their useful life. There's good, good secondary markets out there. So let's not say go away, but we would need a whole separate conversation to figure out how to, how to make them play, to get, play nice in this situation. Well, that's going to do it for our brand crossover edition of We Fixed It. You're welcome. You know, it occurred to me we probably should have crossed over with another podcast for this one and brought some other people in. They might have had more fixes for us. But we may just have to revisit this topic again because as I said, there's going to be more brand collaborations. We didn't get to the stats, but the consumers like them, so they're just going to keep happening and they won't all work. When they don't, those brands are going to need some help. And you know what we do? We just come in and fix them. To you, our listeners, our fixaholics, what's the most outrageous brand crossover you've been seeing lately? Let us know on Social. We're at We Fixed It Pod. That's We Fixed It Pod. We can't wait to hear from you, and we will see you next time. We hope you enjoyed this episode of We Fixed It. You're welcome. We go into every episode somewhat cold, and nothing we say should be construed as legal advice, financial advice, or anything that would get us in trouble. All trademarks, IP and brand elements remain property of their respective owners.