What does co-branding mean?

Question

Kate Swindlehurst · Accepted Answer

Co-branding is a marketing strategy where a product or service is marketed under two or more different brand names. It is a collaborative effort between brands to produce a product or service that benefits them both, promotes accessibility or affordability, offers a higher premium option, or appeals to a niche market or lifestyle.

A common example of co-branding is when a higher-end clothing brand collaborates with a larger, more affordable brand.

For example, Target often collaborates with smaller, expensive, high-end clothing brands for co-branding opportunities. Target released a line with For Love and Lemons in 2022, which offered the style at a more affordable price, which opened more opportunities for both brands and recognition.

Co-branding can also include collaborations between specific famous people and businesses. Yeezy, which up until 2022 was a wide success, is another example of co-branding, where Kanye West fans could purchase his designs through Adidas.

Co-branding also can be done to help promote the release of a new movie or to regenerate interest in something that was once popular due to nostalgia. This type of co-branding is extremely common in the makeup industry.