5 Examples of Great Marketing Partnerships

Marketing partnerships are a great way of synergistically increasing impact and penetration while spreading the cost over several organizations. When done well, a marketing partnership amplifies each company’s central message, piggybacking on the positive characteristics of the partners and detracting from the negative. Some of the biggest organizational names on the globe have used marketing partnerships to leverage their brand messages, such as the following:

IBM

The godfather of computing has multiple co-marketing partnerships. In fact, Finish researchers are using them as a model for intercompany marketing dynamics. They found that a key component to a successful co-campaign includes joint planning and communication between well-aligned organizations. IBM has allied itself with various technical, non-manufacturing organizations, primarily in the educational and certification fields. This positions IBM to passively promote the use and upkeep of its systems without incurring direct costs. IBM communicates its technical requirements to schools that, in turn, teach it to the students. When creating your partnership, be sure to define the methodology of communication, so you get the greatest effect from the partnership.

HTC

Virtual reality technology is a hot topic that comes with a lot of free press. From gaming systems like Oculus Rift that commanded huge lines for its Comic-Con demo to futurist predictions that VR will be the medical and manufacturing standard in the next two decades, VR news brings a lot to the table. This is one reason that mobile manufacturer HTC has partnered with VR developer Valve. HTC is known for its high-resolution smartphone technology, so it is adding to Valve’s credibility in this partnership. In return, Valve places HTC at the forefront of mobile VR, which aligns with the overall goals of the smartphone giant. Because VR has a life of its own, this partnership will yield a lot of impact organically and with very little cost.

Levi’s

Doing something good for the world offers businesses and social service organizations an opportunity for a win-win scenario. When Levi’s partnered with Water.org and changed its manufacturing process so that the denim can be processed with an average of 26 percent less water, the joint Facebook page saw more than 50,000 visits in the first three days. This made a colossal impression on Levi’s brand reputation, painting it as a socially responsible multinational organization.

Group Farmer’s Association

The snake skin fruit grows of Indonesia’s Sleman District is composed of many small, family operated, low-tech farms that, as a group, are the biggest suppliers of snake skin fruit in the world. The fruit growers came together in a marketing effort and partnered with exporter AMS Exporting Company. This collaborative effort had the effect of nearly doubling the price earned by the farmers. Here, the marketing campaign evolved into a leveraged price increase for many small businesses.

Vatican

Within the Christian world, stem cell research and its relationship to abortion is a volatile political topic. The Catholic Church has partnered with stem cell research NeoStem to change the conversation from an aggressive and antagonistic stance to one where they find common ground. When creating your marketing partnership, keep in mind that it does not need to be a linear marketing campaign. Instead it can be used to create new concepts with your company being credited as a thought leader.