IPSY x Alicia Keys
At first, it may seem strange for a makeup brand to collaborate with an artist who famously stopped wearing makeup for a while. However this only strengthens the ties as Keys now only wears makeup that makes her feel comfortable therefore emphasising ISPY’s authenticity. IPSY is a monthly makeup subscription service and partnered with Alicia Keys to curate a special edition collection. IPSY then sent these limited-edition Glam Bag X to creators to showcase the products and get people excited.
SKIMS x Becky G, Brooke Shields, Chelsea Handler, Juliette Lewis, and Indya Moore
Despite now being extremely controversial post the Balenciaga scandal, Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS campaign saw an iconic and diverse cast. They filmed a few videos in which each celeb models one or more different colored bras to showcase the line’s wide range of neutral shades. In the videos, they discuss both abstract concepts, like confidence and sexiness, and their opinions on the bras themselves, like how comfortable they are or how they fit. The message showcased that SKIMS is for everyone.
L’Oréal X H.E.R
If there is anyone that is #HairGoals, it is H.E.R. The singer/songwriter is famous for her stunning curls, making her a wonderful choice to be the global ambassador for L’Oreal Paris. In one commercial, she promotes their Elvive Dream Lengths Curls product line while showing off her gorgeous strands.
But she’s not just stopping at her hair. Her makeup artist, Marissa Vossen, uses L’Oreal Paris cosmetics when she helps H.E.R. get ready for events, too.
In an interview with Vogue, she said, “L’Oréal was actually the first brand of makeup I ever used, so it’s a really sentimental thing.” By harnessing her authentic brand love, L’Oreal found the perfect ambassador in H.E.R.
Coach X Lil Nas X
Famed for being his most authentic and outrageous self, COACH partnered with hip hop artist Lil Naz X to showcase their clothing, promote his new song, STAR WALKIN’, and tell his story in the form of a dramatic video.
Lil Nas X has always chosen to be his authentic self, whether by pushing the boundaries of fashion on the red carpet or coming out in an industry that hasn’t always been accepting, making him the ideal partner for a campaign focused on having the “Courage to Be Real.”
JBL X Doja Cat
Honestly, this one stands out the most to me this year. Taking a unique approach to her collab, Doja Cat posted a TikTok in which she held up her JBL speaker and proceeded to say “Jibble, jibble, jibble,” while being fed what appears to be chicken. There was no mention of the features, and she didn’t actually use the speaker, instead opting to merely show it off. And she earned 5.2M likes, 49.2K comments, and 26.6K shares.
So why did this approach that broke all the rules of traditional influencer marketing work? It was so successful because the video resembled her other videos, showcasing her unique sense of humour and irreverent approach to life, allowing it to blend seamlessly in with the other content on her account.
The partnership extended beyond the viral TikTok, though. Doja Cat showed up to the Grammys red carpet with the custom JBL Clip 4 speaker from the video attached to her bag.
The collaboration was focused on authentic sound and being your authentic self, and who better to represent authenticity than the rapper who was not afraid to be fed chicken on camera?
Tiffany & Co. X Beyoncé
Beyoncé first partnered with the iconic jewellery brand in 2021 when they announced she and her husband, Jay-Z, were the new faces of the company in a campaign called ABOUT LOVE. It was black excellence at its finest. Now, in 2022, Beyoncé is back with a new campaign, LOSE YOURSELF IN LOVE.
The campaign videos feature music from Beyoncé’s newly released album, Renaissance, and the brand created a custom version of the Tiffany HardWear necklace for the star. Throughout the videos, Beyoncé models multiple different pieces and showcases her unapologetic self, which their campaign landing page emphasises.
Tiffany & Co. and Beyoncé also co-hosted a CLUB RENAISSANCE party in Paris at the end of Fashion Week to further promote the collaboration and her album.
Taco Bell x Pete Davidson
This campaign played with the concept ‘tongue-in-cheek’ in a clever and cheeky fashion. Taco Bell partnered with chaotic comedian Pete Davidson to spoof the classic influencer apology video. He appears in a commercial during which he apologises on behalf of Taco Bell for “going too far” with their breakfast offerings. In the commercial, he hypes up the classic breakfast crunchwrap.
Pete is a natural partner for this collaboration since his comedy (and sometimes behaviour) over the past few years could often be described as “going too far.” Just as Taco Bell never takes itself seriously, Pete shows that he can do just the same.
