Why should we use "Co-Branding" Strategy ?
71% of consumers enjoy when multiple brands come together to offer a unique (Co-Branding) prdouct.
71%的用户喜欢多个品牌联合推出的独特（联名）产品。
https://visualobjects.com/digital-marketing/blog/cobranding
Oreo and Supreme launch Co-Branding limited edition Oreo biscuits in 2020.
What are the main benefits of "Co-Branding"?
Increase brand attention, Widen the circle of users, Increase product sales and reduce market risk.
What are the main risks of "Co-Branding"?
Incompatible corporate personalities, Changes in the attitude towards the market, Loss of exclusivity for brand features.
When is "Co-Branding" Strategy not applicable?
"Co-Branding" Strategy is applicable when at least one of the two brands is a well-known brand. And "Co-Branding" Strategy is mainly applicable to 2C(to Customer) scenarios rather than 2B(to Business) scenarios.
What is "Co-Branding Wheel" ?
The "Co-Branding Wheel" is a methodology to help users find more valuable potential Co-Branding partners for their brands.
"联名轮" 是帮助使用者为其品牌找到更有价值的潜在的联名合作伙伴的方法论。
Who will be the user of "Co-Branding Wheel"?
Product Manager, Product Owner, Brand Owner, Product Designer.
When would "Co-Branding Wheel" be required?
When users want to use a Co-Branding strategy but don't know which brand they should co-brand with.
What other features does "Co-Branding Wheel" have?
Confirmation of brand identity. Advising on Co-Branding product development.
How to use "Co-Branding Wheel" ?
The use of "Co-Branding Wheel" is divided into three stages, they are: Brand Identity, Brand Divergency, Brand Selection.
“联名轮”的使用分为三个阶段，它们分别是：品牌身份，品牌发散，品牌筛选。
What is the purpose of the first stage Brand Identity?
Identify decisive factors in finding potential Co-Branding partners from your own brand and brand planning.
What is the purpose of the second stage Brand Divergency?
Identify potential partners based on brand identity and categorise them into different Co-Branding categories and purposes.
What is the purpose of the third stage Brand Selection?
Screen potential partners and find more valuable ones through the success drivers of Co-Branding.
To find potential partners for co-branding, get to know your own brand first.
Stage 1: Brand Identity.
In the first stage of "Co-Branding Wheel", you need to record each of the following four brand identities of your own brand in the first circle: Brand intuition, Brand Labels, Brand Picture, New target markets.
阶段1：品牌身份。
在 "联合品牌轮 "的第一阶段，你需要在第一圈中分别记录以下四个品牌身份：品牌直觉、品牌标签、品牌形象、新的目标市场。
Why are these 4 brand identities crucial for Co-Branding?
Brand labels and new target markets determines whether the Co-Branding is cross-border or same-border Co-Branding. Matching brand intuition can make short-term Co-Branding more likely to succeed. And matching brand picture can make long-term Co-Branding more likely to succeed.
What is brand intuition?
Brand intuition refers to the first thing that we hear, see and think of when that brand name is mentioned.
What is brand labels?
Brand labels refers to the industry to which the brand belongs and the brand's product label.
What is brand picture?
Brand picture refers to the impression that the brand leaves and the personality that the brand conveys to the consumer.
What is new target markets?
New target market refers to other industries and market segments that the brand would like to enter in the future.
To find more valuable potential partners, you need more potential partners in the first place.
Stage 2: Brand Divergency.
In the second stage of "Co-Branding Wheel", you need to brainstorm to record the brands that fit the brand identity and place them in the four categories of the second circle.
阶段2：品牌发散。
在 "联合品牌轮 "的第二阶段，你需要通过头脑风暴记录符合品牌身份的品牌，并将它们放在第二个圈的四个分类中。
What should we do at Stage 2?
We need to brainstorm to find brands that fit both adjacent brand identities (they don't need to meet all the labels, just at least one of each brand identity.) and put them into the category of the corresponding Co-Branding. Matching brand labels with brand intuition, for example, we can find potential partners for short-term same-border Co-Branding.
What is short-term co-branding and what are its main benefits?
Short-term Co-Branding will usually only launch one product or collection, such as the Co-Branding of Supreme and Lv. This kind of Co-Branding can increase the attention of the brand.
What is long-term co-branding and what are its main benefits?
Long-term Co-Branding usually launch new products regularly, even up to a decade or more, such as the Co-Branding of Supreme and Nike. This kind of co-branding can builds brand trust.
What is cross-border co-branding and what are its main benefits?
Cross-border Co-Branding usually comes from two brands in completely different fields, such as the Co-Branding of Supreme and Oreo. Such co-branding can broaden the brand's user base.
What is same-border co-branding and what are its main benefits?
Same-border Co-Branding usually comes from two related brands in the same field, such as the Co-Branding of McDonald's and Oreo. This kind of co-branding can reduce market risk.
To develop successful co-branding, you need to know what the success factors for co-branding are first.
Stage 3: Brand Selection.
In the third stage of "Co-Branding Wheel", you need to screen the brands found in step 2 through the success drivers of the co-branding in the third circle.
阶段3：品牌筛选。
在 "联合品牌轮 "的第三阶段，你需要通过联名的成功驱动力筛选在第二阶段中发现的品牌。
What should we do at Stage 3?
In this stage we need to envisage if we develope Co-Branding with different brands and with which brand we can meet more of the success drivers of the Co-Branding. Brands that can meet more of the success drivers are more valuable potential partners.
What is the difference between the success drivers on the left and the success drivers on the right?
The success drivers on the left side apply mainly to short-term Co-Branding. The success drivers on the right apply mainly to long-term Co-Branding.
Why is the middle separated by a dotted line?
In principle, the more success drivers that Co-Branding can satisfy, the better. So although the success drivers on the other side are not as important, they can be used as one of the reference criteria.
Note: In the real case, far more brands would appear than in this example.
Example：This animation shows the main application process of the "Co-Branding Wheel" with Oreo as the Co-Branding initiator.
例：这一动图展现了以Oreo作为联名发起方，"联名轮"的主要应用流程。
What results do we get in this example?
In this example, four potential Co-Branding brands were identified, they are: Oreo X Lay's, Oreo X Off-White, Oreo X MiuMiu, Oreo X M&M's. Imagine oreo's co-branded chocolate beans with M&M, or Oreo's co-branded girly dress with Miu Miu - wouldn't that be exciting?
What else should I be aware of in the use of ”Co-Branding Wheel“?
1. The success drivers in the brand selection of Stage 3 can also be used as tips for Co-Branding product development.
2. The success of a Co-Branding depends on many other factors, such as the willingness of potential partners to collaborate, and "Co-Branding Wheel" is simply used as a way to navigate the Co-Branding strategy.
𓀒 𓀓
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.
— Ecclesiastes 4:9 (NIV)
两个人总比一个人好，因为二人劳碌同得美好的果效。
— 传道书 4:9
All content is from the author's master's thesis. Details can be viewed by clicking on the attachment.
