The Most Unusual Brand Partnerships Throughout History

Product: Eyewear themed food
Year: 2018
Price: N/A

Some brand collaborations are so bizarre that they can’t possibly be true. Consumers were shocked back in 2018 when ads started popping up for a Warby Parker themed Arby’s menu. Complete with an onion ring monocle, the entire marketing campaign looked legit. 

Warby Parker and Arby's @SustainablyYours / Pinterest.com

However, the concept turned out to be a well-meaning April Fool’s joke. Not only did it tickle the funny bone of customers, but it served its purpose by catapulting both of the brands to the headlines. It was money well spent. 

Product: Wide-brimmed bucket hat
Year: 2019
Price: $29*

As one of the world’s most lucrative fast-food chains, KFC is no stranger to the odd collaboration. The company has had plenty of endorsements, but one partnership, in particular, raised a few eyebrows in 2019. 

KFC's Bucket Hat @rodrigoneve / @tabilabotokyo / Pinterest.com

Yum’s chicken titan decided to capitalize on the revived bucket hat trend by teaming up with the fashion retailer Mam Cupy. The result was a red and white wide-brimmed bucket hat that supposedly doubled up as a bucket for all that fingerlickin’ good chicken. Was it practical? No – but it definitely turned heads. 

Product: Clothing and merchandise
Year: 2008
Price: $20+*

New York-based skate apparel company Supreme isn’t quite as old as you might think. Although the brand has an iconic logo and aesthetic, it’s still a relatively young company in the grand scheme of things, first opening in 1994. 

Kermit and Supreme @etsy / Pinterest.com

VF’s Supreme could offer a masterclass in marketing to aspiring fashion companies as it has a long track record of collaborating with interesting figures. Both Jim Jones and Mike Tyson have been ambassadors in the past, but in 2008 it was the turn of Kermit the Frog. At that time, Kermit’s green face was plastered over skateboards, hoodies, and everything in between. 

Product: Denim with wearable Lego
Year: 2020
Price: $40+*

Levi’s has been around for a really long time now, but the classic denim retailer hasn’t been resting on its laurels. With so much competition, it’s only natural that it’s constantly looking for ways to stay relevant. In 2020, it announced a partnership with the unlikeliest of toy companies – Lego. 

Lego and Levi's @orianaibarrola/Pinterest.com

It’s difficult to imagine how Lego and Levi denim can be lucratively combined, but where there’s a will and a wallet, there’s a way. The collection retails for upward of $40, featuring a jacket and jeans that have little Lego patches on so you’re able to play with them on the move. 

Product: Sharpie and Nike Sneakers 
Year: 2019
Price: $300*

Drawing on sneakers is nothing new, but it’s not often encouraged by brands. After all, a pair of the latest kicks can cost you hundreds of dollars, so unless you’re a teenager sticking it to The Man, is it really worth the hassle? 

Sharpie and Nike @nicekicks / Pinterest.com

In 2019 Nike decided that it was something worth exploiting. In collaboration with Lebron James and Sharpie, the company released a pair of white Air Force 1’s that came with a black and a blue Sharpie marker. That way, buyers could scrawl all over them to their heart’s content, $300-dollar price tag be damned.

Product: Designer Crocs
Year: 2017
Price: $850*

When Crocs first became popular in the ‘00s, they were often the butt of many jokes. Despite a very impressive IPO, Crocs were largely deemed unfashionable. However, as the years ticked by, the perception started to change. 

Belenciaga and Crocs @wmag / Pinterest.com

Crocs began to attract the attention of other big brands, including the high-end retailer Balenciaga. In 2017, the luxury fashion house gave Crocs a new lease of life, partnering with the company to create a platform version that was runway-worthy. Amazingly, they sold for $850 a pair. 

Product: Cold brew coffee
Year: 2015
Price: Free

Stephen Colbert is a much-loved television personality that has been in the business for decades, but even a host of his magnitude needs a little publicity every once in a while. In 2015, CBS teamed up with Stumptown Coffee Roasters to create a quirky promotional product. 

Steven Colbert and Stumptown Coffee @thesebfamily / Pinterest.com

Stumptown created bottles of “Col’Brew” a cold brew coffee with Stephen’s face on it. The idea was to hand out these novelty bottles of java to celebrate the arrival of Colbert on the CBS series The Late Show. These days, they’re considered collector’s items! 

Product: Flavored lip balm
Year: 1975
Price: $1*

Bonne Bell has an interesting history as a lip balm brand that dates back to the early ‘70s. It first hit the market with relatively tame flavors in 1973, claiming to be the world’s first flavored lip balm. By 1975, it changed the game entirely by partnering with Dr. Pepper. 

Bonne Bell and Dr. Pepper @shelleigh85 / Pinterest.com

Lip balm lovers had only had two years to get used to strawberry flavored lips, so having lips that tasted like Dr. Pepper was something else entirely. Bonne Bell went on to release several other food-flavored balms, including a Tootsie Roll variant. 

Product: Special edition car
Year: 2020
Price: N/A

Car enthusiasts are no stranger to seeing different customizations, but it’s usually the owner that does the kitschiest ones and not the car manufacturer. In 2020, fans were divided when a new car design hit the headlines featuring Hello Kitty plastered all over a very expensive Ferrari 458 Italia. 

Hello Kitty and Ferrari @ella777/cars / Pinterest.com

As it turns out, the livery was made for the racing game Gran Turismo, but the Hello Kitty decal has popped up on numerous luxury cars in real life. Other brands companies like Toyota have made limited edition Hello Kitty models in the past, so this idea isn’t all that far-fetched. 

Product: Doritos Locos Taco
Year: 2012
Price: $1.49*

At first glance, this particular brand partnership seems as crazy as a box of frogs. Doritos is a distinctly American snack food, so why would Mexican restaurant chain Taco Bell want to bring it onto the menu? The answer is simple: a shared love for the tortilla. When you think about it, it makes perfect sense – even if it does look a little weird. 

Doritos and Taco Bell @myrecipes / Pinterest.com

The Pepsi-owned brand first partnered with Taco Bell in 2012, releasing the Doritos Locos Taco. For the bargain price of just $1.49, hungry customers could get a normal taco with a Dorito-flavored shell. It may have seemed strange, but it was a hit.

Product: Cheetos Sandwich
Year: 2019
Price: $4.79*

Fast-food chains often collaborate with different brands, perhaps to put toys in their kids meals or promote something else altogether. However, most partnerships aren’t quite as divisive as this one. In 2019, KFC launched the Cheetos Sandwich. 

KFC and Cheetos @delish

Images of the normal chicken sandwich stuffed with an added layer of Cheetos quickly went viral. Some fans couldn’t wait to get their hands on the $4.79 creation, while others thought it was the worst combo in the history of combos. One thing is for sure – it was certainly eyecatching. 

Product: Arizona Iced Tea motif Adidas sneakers
Year: 2019
Price: $0.99*

Arizona Iced Tea has an arguably interesting design, with sweet little floral flowers attributing to its overall appeal. Consumers have enjoyed the beverage for years, but they didn’t expect the blossoms to appear on a pair of Adidas sneakers. However, in 2019, that’s exactly what happened. 

Adidas and Arizona Iced Tea @ElGebis / Pinterest.com

The limited-edition sneakers went on sale, with Adidas offering fans the chance to grab a pair for just $0.99 at the launch. The product proved so popular that a second collection was soon announced, which is set to hit stores in 2021.

Product: Plane
Year: 2008
Price: Unknown

Product placement has been a notable thing across industries on the ground for decades, but did you ever expect to see it flying overhead? In 2008, HBO joined forces with Virgin America to promote the fifth season of Entourage. 

Virgin and HBO @pierce4475 / Pinterest.com

It’s not clear exactly how much the partnership cost, but planes from New York’s JFK to Las Vegas were plastered with Entourage livery and rebranded as “Entourage Air” for the entirety of September that year. Advertising and innovation go hand and hand, but no one quite understood the point of it. 

Product: Fruit loop-themed donuts
Year: 2019
Price: $1.99

Fruit Loops have been breakfast food royalty for years now, but fans were a little skeptical when they popped up in a different guise at Carl’s Jr in 2019. Carl’s started advertising a box of Fruit Loops Mini Donuts for just $1.99, but what was the angle here? 

Carl's Jr and Fruit Loops @danymoyda / Pinterest.com

The five-pack of donuts reportedly tasted just like the real deal, which certainly won some naysayers over. It proved to be a solid partnership for both Fruit Loops and Carl’s Jr, even if no one really understood why it was happening in the first place.