About LV x Yayoi Kusama

Marc Jacobs, then artistic director of Louis Vuitton, first collaborated with Japanese contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama in 2012. Ten years later, Louis Vuitton and Yayoi Kusama reunited for “LV x Yayoi Kusama”, a collection that featured Yayoi Kusama’s iconic Infinity Dots, Figurative Flowers, “Faces” and other motifs of the artist across Louis Vuitton’s ready-to-wear, handbags, luggage, small leather goods, perfumes, accessories, shoes, the lifestyle, and other categories, with over 100 items. The collaboration was split into two drops, launched in January and March 2023 respectively. 

Fashion Exchange Observations

“LV x Yayoi Kusama” is a rare phenomenon in the world of fashion collaborations. It's not just a product line; it's a synchronized global happening. The massive collection's launch seamlessly intertwined with major city unveilings, showcasing Louis Vuitton's exceptional resource integration, team synergy, and flawless execution. From the product perspective, the collection spans nearly every brand category, and LV’s meticulous craftsmanship brings Yayoi Kusama's artistic symbols to vibrant reality, blurring the boundaries between merchandise and art.  From the online marketing strategy, the collaboration features a star-studded cast of 29 celebrities and supermodels, including Gisele Bündchen, Kimura Mitsuki, Zhou Dongyu, Bella Hadid, and He Cong, interpreting the co-branded series in stunning visuals, while the social media platform offers AR mini-games, AR campaign videos, and AR landmark videos from 20 countries to create strong interaction. In addition, Louis Vuitton transformed its flagship stores around the world, including Paris, Tokyo, New York, London, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Milan, as well as several retail spaces and urban fashion landmarks, into offline advertising venues. From a monumental outdoor installation in Paris to a mesmerizing naked-eye 3D display in Tokyo’s Shinjuku, a polka-dotted Harrods in London, and the Tank Shanghai, captivating window displays and pop-up stores added to the immersive experience. The product displays in the pop-up stores and the artist’s puppet installations formed a joint Louis Vuitton and Yayoi Kusama art exhibition that resonated globally, creating an unprecedented consumer experience that conveyed the concept of “Creating Infinity”. This infinite universe of “LV x Yayoi Kusama” was also the WOW MOMENT of the collaboration.

According to the LVMH Group's Q1 2023 financial report, the group’s sales revenue surged by 17% year-on-year, and the fashion and leather goods sector where LV belongs saw an impressive 18% organic year-on-year growth.  The collaboration series also performed well in the secondary market, with several items having high premiums, among which, on the overseas platform Stock X, the glasses and scarves had premiums of over 200%; domestically, some ready-to-wear, shoes, bags, and perfumes had different degrees of premiums. In the Chinese market, the collaboration project’s Weibo hashtags #LVxYayoiKusama# and #LVx草间弥生# garnered over 650 million and 680 million views respectively. During the official announcement period, LV's brand WeChat index spiked by 107% and 420% for two separate drops. The collaboration attracted over 45 million views on Xiaohongshu.

Concept: Creating Infinity

Result: Boosted the fashion and leather goods sector where LV belongs saw an impressive 18% organic year-on-year growth.

Value: A globally synchronized retail space art exhibition with co-branding as the starting point

Overall rating: ★★★★★

About NIKE x Tiffany & Co.

At the end of January 2023, in a landmark move, two titans of American industry - the renowned jeweler Tiffany & Co. and the sportswear giant Nike – joined forces for the collaboration "A Legendary Pair", unveiling a limited-edition Nike Air Force 1 and multiple collaborative merchandises. This is also a tribute to the 40th anniversary of Nike's signature product Air Force 1.

Fashion Exchange Observations

The “Sneaker of the Year” records made by other brands collaborated with NIKE may pose the biggest challenge for Tiffany & Co. in the marketplace. But by cleverly tapping into the shared "American" cultural spirit and "legendary" brand attributes of both parties, NIKE x Tiffany & Co. created a unique selling point for "A Legendary Pair" in the competitive co-branding marketplace and executed this concept in the products. Inspired by the classic Nike Air Force 1 design, the co-branded shoes feature matte-finish leather uppers for premium texture. The same material is used for the buckle, a signature element of the Nike Air Force 1 series, which consumers can upgrade to a Tiffany & Co. 925 silver buckle. The swoosh logo on the side of the shoe is in the iconic Tiffany & Co. blue, making it the most eye-catching feature. The silver-white Tiffany lettering on the tongue and laser-engraved silver plate on the heel showcase the collaboration identity while elevating the luxurious texture of the shoes.

The collaboration also includes a Tiffany blue shoe box, a silver shoe brush, a whistle accessory, a silver shoe puller, and Tiffany blue joint shoelaces. These products blend Tiffany & Co.'s fashion flair and American humor with the sports arena while exhibiting the brand's craftsmanship. The “legendary” theme is also evident in the marketing plan, which includes New York Times ads, a collaboration series starring NBA legend Carmelo Anthony, and other “legendary” figures from various fields wearing the collaborative products, such as NBA star LeBron James, American director Spike Lee, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Edison Chen, and Manchester City star Haaland. The collection is wrapped up in a 100% silver custom shoebox handcrafted by Tiffany artisans in 155 hours, highlighting the “legendary” history of Tiffany’s 925 sterling silver standard and artistry.

Within two days of its release, the Tiffany WeChat index soared by 240%, and the collaboration-related topics on Weibo and Xiaohongshu garnered over 10 million views. The series also performed exceptionally well in the resale market, both domestically and internationally. According to data from Stock X, an overseas secondhand trading platform, the co-branded shoes achieved a premium of over 187%, and all four collaborative items had a premium, with the silver shoe buckle attaining a premium of 65%. According to the data from China’s leading fashion marketplace Poizon, the co-branded sneakers had a maximum premium of 471%. Tiffany's success in attracting younger consumers can be largely attributed to its evolving brand strategy, which has enabled the company to respond quickly to the trends and events happening among the young generation. Whether it is through a partnership with streetwear brand Supreme or, in this case, with NIKE, in essence, Tiffany & Co. has found an effective way to communicate with the young generation through co-branding.

Concept: A Legendary Pair

Result: The highest price premium in the secondary market reached 471%.

Value: A Legendary Pair brought a 200-year-old luxury brand closer to the young generation.

Overall rating: ★★★★★

About FENDI x HEYTEA

On May 19, 2023, FENDI, an international luxury brand, hosted the ‘hand in hand’ exhibition housed in Temple Dongjingyuan Beijing, honoring the traditional craftsmanship of Chinese and Italian artisans. As the co-branding partner, HEYTEA created a “hand in hand teahouse” that featured limited edition products with Yi ethnic elements, infusing a local touch and enhancing local promotions. The exhibition collaboration merchandise included four baked treats and a special drink blended with Litsea pungens Hemsl, while the mainland China stores also offered Joy Yellow drinks inspired by FENDI’s iconic bright yellow color, along with double F design, coasters with leather texture, badges, and other collaboration products.

Fashion Exchange Observations

The FENDI x HEYTEA collaboration is a strategic marketing and promotion initiative for the FENDI "hand in hand" exhibition, connecting the overseas luxury brand with the Chinese lifestyle. By lowering the barriers to entry for luxury goods, the project helps FENDI to localize its brand image and cultivate the minds of potential younger consumers. The collaboration between luxury goods and FMCG also generates buzz for marketing. As a leading brand of new tea drinks, HEYTEA has taken advantage of FMCG’s wide reach and digital marketing to draw a large pool of potential younger generation customers for FENDI’s brand rejuvenation. Moreover, the collaboration showcases FENDI’s respect for traditional Chinese culture by blending flavor and design elements. The collaboration drinks feature Yi ethnic Litsea pungens Hemsl and seasonal fruits. The incorporation of FENDI's iconic logo in the co-branded peripherals has sparked a trend in user-generated content (UGC) and created a long-tail effect for this collaboration.

The FENDI x HEYTEA collaboration was a sensation, creating a frenzy of demand for the FENDI "hand in hand" exhibition, which sold out in a flash. According to the platform’s data, the FENDI WeChat index soared by 164% on the announcement day. As of November 20, 2023, the campaign generated 58.678 million views and 16,000 engagements on Weibo and received 41.838 million views on Xiaohongshu. HEYTEA also reached its highest monthly sales from January to July in 2023 thanks to this partnership. The collaboration series sold out in many stores in Beijing, Guangzhou, and other locations on the second day of launch.

Concept: hand in hand Teahouse

Result: FENDI’s WeChat index skyrocketed by 30 times while HEYTEA set a new record for the highest first-day sales of new products since 2022.

Value: Reduce the entry threshold of luxury goods and attract potential younger generation customer groups. The “FENDI Joy Yellow” HEYTEA drinks became a viral hit in both sales and social media buzz.

Overall rating: ★★★★★

About McDonald's x CLOT 

In 2023, McDonald’s China and CLOT, a leading streetwear brand hosted by Edison Chen, launched a co-branding campaign featuring McDonald’s signature product series, McSpicy, under the theme of“Satisfyingly spicy, deliciously trendy”. The campaign also released various co-branded items, such as uniforms for McDonald’s employees, hoodies, T-shirts, tote bags, mugs, baseball caps, and blankets. The co-branded products were available in 5,000 stores nationwide starting March 14. Additionally, the campaign opened pop-up stores in five major cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Chengdu.

Fashion Exchange Observations

As one of the 13 fashion collaboration collections CLOT launched in the first half of 2023, McDonald’s x CLOT celebrated CLOT’s 20th anniversary and showcased its consistent vision of “bridging the gap between the East and West” through innovative ideas connecting the past and the future. The campaign concept was inspired by the McSpicy Family series, which debuted in 1998 as McDonald’s China’s signature flavor targeting Chinese audiences. CLOT blended the brand’s iconic silk (SILKROYALE) and thorn (ALIENEGRA) patterns with the McDonald’s logo “M” and chose red, yellow, and black as the main colors to represent the two brands, creating a cohesive trendy style from food to peripheral products. The collection also included hoodies, tote bags, mugs, and other chic items to enrich the co-branded product line. Exclusive co-branded uniforms for McDonald’s employees further infused pop culture into the DNA of McDonald’s. The marketing campaign featured pop-up stores in five cities with high fashion consumption power: Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Chengdu. This strategy catered to the young community’s curiosity and social interaction needs, as well as their experience and consumption habits while integrating the spirit of "satisfyingly spicy, deliciously trendy" into urban lifestyles. The collaboration series was launched on March 14 and May 21, 2023, respectively. By releasing items in two separate drops, the collaboration effectively extended its promotional period.

McDonald's WeChat index increased by 118% and CLOT's WeChat index increased by 299% on the first day of officially announcing this collaboration, The Weibo hashtag #McDonald'sCLOTcollaboration# reaped more than 21.17 million reads, and the number of relevant Xiaohongshu posts exceeded 3,900. In addition to the highly sought-after McSpicy Series, other peripheral products from this campaign also went trending and sensational. According to data from related platforms, some collaborative products achieved a price premium rate of more than 295% in the domestic secondary market.

Concept: Satisfyingly spicy, deliciously trendy

Result: Over 295% price premium on the secondary market for popular co-branded items.

Value: As the "Guochao" trend (or “Chinese Fashion Trend”) cools down, true creativity and cultural roots ignite market excitement.

Overall rating: ★★★★★

About  Luckin Coffee x Kweichow Moutai

On September 4, 2023, Luckin Coffee and Kweichow Moutai, a renowned Chinese liquor brand, jointly launched the sensational product Moutai Latte. The coffee drink contains less than 0.5 percent (alcohol by volume) of 53 degrees Kweichow Moutai liquor, standing out by using baijiu-flavored thick milk. Co-branded stickers, paper bags, and cup sleeves were also launched. As soon as the“Moutai Latte” became available, it caused a phenomenal craze in various stores and instantly became a viral topic on the Internet.

Fashion Exchange Observations

Luckin Coffee x Kweichow Moutai is the most widespread and buzzworthy collaboration case in the Chinese market in the second half of 2023. This collaboration exhibits remarkable expansiveness and malleability in content, discourse, and interaction. Within a short span, it has ignited widespread engagement—a rare instance where a cross-sector collaboration achieves substantial traffic without relying on traditional advertising, offline events, celebrity endorsements, or other high-cost marketing tactics. The intriguing combination of “fine wine + coffee,” the brand influence of “premium liquor” and “trendy coffee,” as well as the stark contrast between them, have significantly propelled the sales growth of this series. Viral topics such as “young people’s first sip of Moutai ” and “Can I drive after drinking Moutai Latte” sparked organic word-of-mouth marketing on social media, proving the consumption driving force of "product as content". Through this tie-up, Luckin has successfully attracted more middle-end and high-end consumers and achieved a surge of new product sales; Moutai, on the other hand, has seized this opportunity to further rejuvenate its brand and deepen the value of its IP, while tapping into Luckin’s wide audience and over 10,000 stores to expand its customer reach. Thanks to the partnership, Moutai has appeared in the life scenes of young people in a more diversified way.

The collaboration set a new record in both online buzz and offline sales. According to Luckin's official data, more than 5.42 million cups of the co-branded product were sold on its debut day, with sales exceeding 100 million yuan, contributing to an 84.9% year-on-year growth in Luckin Coffee's total net revenue for the third quarter. On social media platforms, the related topic on Weibo garnered over 1.61 billion reads and more than 156,000 discussions, while on Xiaohongshu, it amassed over 74.11 million views. Within three days of the official announcement of the collaboration, Luckin Coffee's WeChat Index surged by over 2100%, and Kweichow Moutai's WeChat Index increased by 675%.

History teaches us that there's no one "successful" method that lasts and applies to everyone. Perhaps, what can guide us through the cycles is the underlying logic of understanding how to achieve "success" and the methods of attaining sustainable growth through “innovation". This holds for all industries without exception.

Concept: When Fine Wine Meets Coffee, Love Brews in Every Cup

Result: The "Moutai Latte" hashtag amassed over 200 million first-day impressions online, with the related products’ first-day sales surpassing 5.42 million cups.

Value: A phenomenal cross-category breakthrough, engaging both brands’ audiences effectively.

Overall rating: ★★★★★

About the Uniqlo 2023 Collaboration

Uniqlo continues to pursue cross-border collaborations with a long-term vision in 2023. Originating from the Uniqlo Paris R&D Center, the Uniqlo U series created by the art director Christophe Lemaire released new products. In addition to once again teaming up with the pop artist KAWS, Uniqlo also joined hands with Disney, Naruto, Peanuts, Sanrio, Hunter X Hunter, and Winnie the Pooh for the UT collection. The partnership with White Mountaineering and JW Anderson continued to release new series in 2023, and the collaboration with Anya Hindmarch, Engineered Garments, Princesse tam tam, Comptoir des Cotonniers, and Mame Kurogouchi also generated joint capsule series. The brand also partnered with the haute couture designer Clare Waight Keller to launch the Uniqlo: C Collection in 2023.

Fashion Exchange Observations

With a long-term vision for fashion collaborations, Uniqlo continues to partner with designers and artists in different ways to optimize its product portfolio, design, and brand value. In terms of individual products, the UT series as an example, using T-shirts as a canvas for creativity, has evolved into a "high-frequency, wide-ranging" cross-industry collaboration project since the arrival of creative director NIGO in 2013. This initiative propelled Uniqlo's T-shirt items into various niche circles such as fashion, art, music, film, animation, anime, games, and literature, transforming the UT series from a product line to a "cultural creative empire". This expansion not only added brand value but also resulted in high sales performance. In 2023, commemorating the global release of the latest KAWS art book by Phaidon, the two parties collaborated again, releasing limited-edition KAWS physical artwork catalogs and canvas bags in addition to T-shirt items, enhancing the collaborative artistic value. This series achieved monthly sales of over 10,000 for various styles on Uniqlo's Tmall flagship store, with some styles exceeding 30,000 in sales. Looking at the product lineup, in addition to the Uniqlo +J and Uniqlo U series, Uniqlo made further strides in 2023 by partnering with high-end designer Clare Waight Keller, former creative director of Chloé and GIVENCHY, to create the UNIQLO: C series, elevating the brand’s aesthetics and product quality. This series’ related Weibo hashtags received more than 243 million reads, with several items achieving monthly sales of over 10,000 on Uniqlo's Tmall flagship store. Additionally, with the inclusion of tennis star Federer, the UNIQLO x JW ANDERSON collaboration, extending over multiple seasons, achieved success in terms of both discussion volume and sales in 2023 through a tripartite collaboration. Furthermore, Uniqlo joined forces with several fashion brands in 2023 to launch capsule collections, providing consumers with a continuously updated array of diverse style choices.

In 2023, Uniqlo’s parent company, Japan’s Fast Retailing Group, reported a 20.2% increase in overall revenue to ¥135.1 billion in the fiscal year 2023, as Greater China's operating profit soared by 25% to a record high.

Concept: LifeWear

Result: The long-term fashion collaboration strategy contributed to the Japanese Fast Retailing Company’s impressive 20.2% year-on-year growth in overall revenue for the 2023 fiscal year.

Value: By adopting a long-term co-brand strategy, the brand has successfully created various iconic items and enhanced its brand reputation and customer loyalty.

Overall rating: ★★★★★

About CROCS 2023 Collaboration

In 2023, based on available data, Crocs established more than 60 global partnerships with brands, designers, celebrities, and licensors in various industries, and launched more than 24 collaborative shoes with an array of domestic and international brands such as Simone Rocha, MSCHF, Palace, McDonald's, Feng Chen Wang, GOODBAI, and others.  Among them, the Pollex Pod line created by former Yeezy and Versace designer Salehe Bembury has been widely acclaimed in the market since its debut. In 2023, the Pollex Pod series officially developed into a long-term collaboration between Crocs and Salehe Bembury.

Fashion Exchange Observations

In the face of past criticisms about being "ugly shoes", Crocs ingeniously shifted its promotional focus to comfort, opening up a new approach to dealing with controversy through the brand philosophy of "Come As You Are". The brand regained its position at the center of fashion discussions through a series of collaborations, making appearances at fashion shows by Balenciaga, Simone Rocha, Feng Chen Wang, Susan Fang, and others. This strategic move successfully transformed its image from the once-labeled "50 ugliest inventions globally" to a fashionable statement. With a sustained long-term collaboration strategy, Crocs maintains a lively presence in the eyes of young consumers, portraying an image of fun, trendiness, fashion, and innovation, staying consistently relevant to the younger consumer demographic. This approach continually attracts fresh perspectives, contributing to the brand's ongoing rejuvenation. Simultaneously, Crocs has shattered the limitations of a single product category in terms of seasons, settings, and styles through collaborative partnerships. It has demonstrated remarkable inclusivity to cater to diverse consumer needs, adapting effectively to the rapidly changing market environment. The collaborative editions not only provide endless inspiration for new designs but also spawn popular variations like cloud-patterned, wheeled, mermaid-themed, and puff-inspired styles, all receiving enthusiastic responses in the market. The Pollex Pod collaborative series, validated by the market, contributes to enhancing product repurchase rates through long-term cooperation. As for communication effectiveness, collaborative partnerships have accelerated the promotion of new products. Collaborative series co-created with celebrities leverage their star effects to rapidly capture peaks in online traffic, achieving effective brand promotion. In a global footwear market experiencing sluggishness, Crocs has found a growth path in the era of a saturated market through the explosive impact of collaborations.

In terms of sales, some of Crocs' collaborative styles earned a premium of nearly 300% in the overseas market, and according to the Stock X platform, the weekly trading volume of the Crocs x Cars collaborative series in 2023 surpassed the historical record for any other Crocs styles on the platform. The positive market response helped Crocs achieve double-digit revenue growth for three consecutive quarters in FY23. As for online communications, Crocs’ collaborations have created a huge buzz. As of November, more than 10 million people had read the official announcement of the Weibo tag about the collaboration. And on the day that Crocs x McDonald’s was announced, Crocs’ WeChat index skyrocketed by 27,073%.

Concept: Come As You Are

Result: Helped Crocs achieve double-digit revenue growth for three consecutive quarters in FY2023.

Value: From the "ugliest" to the "trendiest", Crocs continues to "wow" customers through fashion collaborations, succeeding in increasing both brand popularity and sales.

Overall rating: ★★★★★

About the Moncler Genius 2023

On February 20, 2023, during London Fashion Week, the fifth season of MONCLER GENIUS kicked off with a grand immersive exhibition  The Art of Genius at the London Olympic Stadium. The exhibition offered a sneak peek into the collaborative works of eight geniuses and their joint collections for the year 2023. This season’s genius co-creators include Mercedes-Benz, Adidas Originals, Pharrell Williams, Alicia Keys, Salehe Bembury, Palm Angels, Jay-Z, and FRGMT. The exhibition also invited avant-garde design master Rick Owens to participate in the creative show. In the Genius building, they showcased the theme "One house, different voices” with a stunning multidisciplinary display of fashion, art, music, sports, entertainment, pop trends, and technology. The MONCLER GENIUS collaboration series would be released monthly, starting from Alicia Keys' collection on March 23.

Fashion Exchange Observations

Moncler Genius has transformed Moncler from a collaboration initiator to a co-creation platform that transcends the single dimension of fashion and explores the infinite possibilities of unbounded creativity. Every year, Moncler invites eight brilliant co-creators from diverse disciplines to reinvent its signature puffer jackets, pushing the limits of creativity and unleashing the potential of Moncler's down jackets in the realms of fashion, art, science, and technology. This shapes the brand's image of diversity, inclusivity, and artistic innovation, and elevates Moncler from an outdoor sports brand to a premium fashion brand. Fashion collaborations also offer a multifaceted perspective for the brand’s cultural expression, allowing consumers to experience Moncler’s sense of fashion, technology, and future from different angles. Moncler’s collaboration with FRGMT, Mercedes-Benz, and adidas Originals in 2023 showcased the brand’s vision for the future and its exploration of the fusion of technology, fashion, and art. Marketing-wise, the annual The Art of Genius immersive exhibition created a sensational global event, leveraging the influence of genius co-creators from diverse disciplines and international fashion weeks to attract massive attention. The drops generated a lasting online buzz and kept the brand's high visibility all year long.

As a long-term growth strategy, Moncler Genius has boosted the Moncler Group’s revenue by 16% year-on-year to €1.8 billion in the first three quarters of 2023. The Moncler Genius x Pharrell Williams collection had a 21% price premium on some of the apparel and a 122% price premium on certain sizes of the Moncler x adidas Originals footwear collection. When it comes to online communication, as of November, the official release and celebration videos had been viewed 15 million times on Weibo. The collaboration amassed over 260 million views and 951,000 interactions on Weibo, as well as 5.215 million views on Xiaohongshu. On the release day of the Moncler Genius x Adidas collaborative models, the brand's WeChat index surged by 333%. 

Concept: One House, Different Voices

Result: Moncler’s revenue soared by 16% year-on-year in the first three quarters of 2023.

Value: By embracing fashion collaborations as a long-term strategy, Moncler has strengthened its business performance and brand visibility.

Overall rating: ★★★★★

About the adidas Samba Collaboration

As one of adidas’ iconic shoes, adidas Samba has been a staple in the world of fashion and trends for 74 years, and in November this year, it won the Shoe of the Year Award of FNAA 2023. Throughout 2023, adidas Samba launched multiple co-branded series with brands and creative agencies such as PALACE, KITH, JJJJound, Sporty & Rich, Wales Bonner, Notitle, and more. In February 2023, the inaugural Consortium Cup Global Sneaker Design Tournament hosted by adidas’ high-end product line adidas Consortium further extended the collaboration partners to Offspring, END., and other renowned sneaker stores around the world. The competition transformed the adidas Samba series from a co-branded product to a cross-over co-creation.

Fashion Exchange Observations

As early as 2005, adidas established the adidas Consortium product platform with collaboration as its core strategy. Through long-term collaborations, adidas can break the boundaries of regions and cultures and communicate with consumers around the world. As a classic shoe style of the brand, adidas Samba was created in 1949. With the German national football team wearing screw-in-studs adidas Samba shoes and defeating unbeatable Hungarians in the historic moment of the 1954 World Cup, Samba became known to the public. Over the years, adidas has not only iterated and launched multiple new styles such as Samba OG, Samba Vegan, Samba Golf, and more, but also developed a collaboration strategy based on Samba, transforming Samba into a fashion icon and cultural symbol by partnering with designers and high-end brands. As Samba becomes the carrier for various cultures and creativity, it also sparks Samba’s innovation in color scheme, material, print, and details through the fusion of diverse cultures. In 2023, leveraging the resurgence of the retro sports trend, adidas Samba frequently entered the “Annual Must-have List” with its long-term collaboration strategy. Through standout collaborations, it not only secured a spot for itself but also brought other styles in adidas' retro footwear lineup—Gazelle, Campus 80s, and Country—back into the consumer spotlight. This move has played a crucial role in adidas' gradual recovery from recent challenges in the market.

According to platform data, the views of #adidassamba on TikTok exceeded 830 million, and the sales of adidas Samba shoes on the overseas online marketplace Laced increased by more than 2000% year-on-year in 2023. As of December, the number of posts of #samba on Xiaohongshu surpassed 50,000 and the views it attracted reached 140 million. In terms of sales, the collaborative shoes launched in 2023 performed exceptionally well in the secondary market, with adidas Samba x Wales Bonner boasting a premium of 372% in the overseas secondary market, and adidas Samba x Sporty & Rich having a premium of 572%. In the “post-YEEZY” era, the adidas Samba series has gradually become the main force of adidas.

 

Concept: adidas Samba

Result: Boosted adidas’ global revenue by 3% year-on-year in the first three quarters of 2023, and restored the brand’s global appeal.

Value: Brand performance revival fueled by “hero items” collaborations.

Overall rating: ★★★★★

About the Barbie 2023 Collaboration

The year 2023 marked the debut of the movie Barbie, co-produced by the American toy company Mattel and the Hollywood giant Warner Brothers, passing the inspirational message that "Barbie is everything". In the real world, along with the movie’s release, Barbie partnered up with prominent brands such as ZARA, NIKE, CROCS, HEYTEA, Holiland, and more. Incomplete data reveals that there are more than 100 Barbie co-branded series, covering various categories such as wearables, food and beverage, games, social, and more, sparking a worldwide craze for the Barbie trend.

Fashion Exchange Observations

In 2023, Barbie strategically integrated its cultural impact into every aspect of the daily life scene through multifaceted cross-industry collaborations, positioning them as the central strategy for movie promotion. Behind the collaborative series lies a resurgence of identity affirmation and emotional resonance, collectively sparking a renewed wave of Barbie culture, reconnecting the 64-year-old IP with young consumers. In terms of design, the iconic pink color and retro handwritten logo have enhanced the IP’s visual symbols and demonstrated Barbie's strong adaptability to the co-branded category. Marketing-wise, the Barbie culture extends into the virtual space through partnerships with interactive Google search engine result pages, AR videos, selfie filters, and other cutting-edge technologies. Through its far-reaching collaborations, the Barbie movie released in 2023 has linked Barbie with more universal themes, and through the exploration of women’s power and even the meaning of life, it has widened the IP’s target audience from young girls to a much broader and more diverse group, successfully breaking through the existing boundaries. Long before gracing the silver screen, Barbie's "dress-up" play has positioned her uniquely in the realm of fashion, enabling her to collaborate seamlessly with renowned brands like Moschino and Balmain. Through continuous cross-industry partnerships, Barbie has exuded a distinctive fashion aura, solidifying her presence as a cultural icon. The Barbie series serves as a cultural reservoir, propelling Barbie beyond the confines of the toy aisle and elevating her status to that of a cultural phenomenon.

As of November, data shows that topics related to Barbie's collaborations have attracted over 86.99 million Weibo reads and over 44.6 million Xiaohongshu views. Thanks to the continued popularity of the Barbie wave, the movie Barbie has generated 350+ million Weibo reads, 226,000+ discussions and 1,731,000+ interactions online, while its offline box office has amassed more than US$1.4 billion worldwide, making it the global box office winner in 2023. Barbie's collaborative merchandise has also showcased remarkable performance in the secondary market. In 2023, the Barbie×CROCS series witnessed a premium of over 149% in overseas markets. According to financial data from Mattel's 2023 report, the Barbie series played a pivotal role in driving a 16% year-on-year increase in the third-quarter gross income for the group.

Concept: Barbie Is Everything

Result: Helped the Barbie live-action movie earn over $1.4 billion at the global box office. Mattel Group's gross revenue surged by 16% year-on-year in Q3 2023.

Value: The collaboration between the classic movie IP and multiple brands not only delivered box office success but also created valuable business opportunities for all parties.

Overall rating: ★★★★★