Brand Collaboration and Storytelling

How do you tell a story of a brand-new product that fits a theme or personifies the brand?

It’s interesting to see influencers integrate storytelling with brands they know and love. It also gives a different perspective of a celebrity or influencer off-screen. To quote Miles Morales in Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse, “Anyone can wear the mask.”  

Numerous campaigns and collaborations caught my attention, and we will delve deep into their effectiveness and how and why they work thematically for the organization or brand.  

Anne Hathaway and Zendaya: BVLGARI’s Unexpected Wonders

This caught my attention during the Toronto International Film Festival 2022 or 2023 during the pre-show, as fans were clapping to the track’s beat. I was in awe of its cinematography and the production design. BVLGARI’s unique selling point was not just one of the many sponsors at TIFF but how a luxurious Italian jewellery brand delivers a jaw-dropping and intrinsic fashion statement where inspiration is in the details.

Matthew McConaughey and Lincoln

Matthew McConaughey was at the height of the “McConaissance,” where he shifted his typecasting roles in rom-coms into dramatic roles. It was a match made in heaven for the Lincoln collaboration with McConaughey. The concept is as complex as McConaughey’s dramatic roles. Each Lincoln commercial is like a film character. It’s layered in different moods, from a brooding and melancholy tone to an introductory statement.

Sidney Crosby and Tim Hortons

Hockey is Canada’s national sport, and you couldn’t get more Canadian than  Canada’s favourite coffee chain. The ad features a young Sidney Crosby describing what hockey means to Canadians as a way to bring communities together in a rink, frozen pond or watching the game in our living rooms. There is a saying that sports unites us all, and what better way to integrate hockey than Tim Hortons for its community initiatives? The ad was so effective it even made beloved TSN’s anchor Jay Onrait cry. 

The Upper Deck hockey cards are another collaboration between Tim Hortons and Sidney Crosby. Hockey fans rejoice as the puck drops for the season opener and take home collectible hockey cards. 

Both campaigns are effective because of the sport’s patriotism and the uniting of Canadians from coast to coast. 

Nike and the Olympics

It’s a tale that is as old as time. Nike and the Olympics can uplift people and inspire others to strive for greatness. Nike isn’t afraid to show elite athletes’ vulnerability on and off the field.

Actor Willem Dafoe narrates the inner voices of athletes as they compete on the world’s biggest stage, showcasing their emotions from victory to defeat. This campaign is effective because competitive sports are beasts on the world’s biggest stage, bringing out the best and worst in us.

Shah Rukh Khan and Visit Dubai

Bollywood’s biggest star, Shah Rukh Khan, and Visit Dubai collaborate in a campaign showcasing what to see and do in Dubai and meeting people along the way. The vibes are immaculate, and it will inspire you to take a trip to the city of wonder.

RBC and Canadian Olympians

Being an Olympian is no easy feat. Apart from years of training and competition to prepare and qualify for the Olympics, the cost of funding current and future Olympians is through the roof, from strength and conditioning to dieting. RBC Training Ground has been proven successful for Canadian gold medalist in cycling Kelsey Mitchell. Mitchell was originally going to be a soccer player until she joined the program and surpassed all tests; thus, cycling sealed her fate.

The sole purpose of presenting a spec ad or a full-on campaign is to persuade consumers that they are not just buying a product out of sheer necessity. Instead, it should build a connection of relatability for consumers. It can even be a call to action to donate to a cause or to fund a program for future generations.     

“The most personal is the most creative,” Martin Scorsese.