How to Create A Winning Brand Partnership
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” — Helen Keller
Partnerships for marketing purposes are nothing new. From the earliest marketplaces in the ancient world where merchants set up adjacent stands selling complementary goods to the latest streetwear company partnering with yet another luxury brand, partnerships are everywhere. The reason is simple – a successful brand partnership increases brand recognition for both parties, drives sales and grows customer loyalty.
But what makes a successful brand partnership?
We’re looking at the who, what and how of the most impactful partnerships, and what your brand or business can do to drive your winning collaboration.
Who Makes A Good Partner?
When it comes to developing an effective partnership, brands have a lot of options. From individual influencers to like-minded brands, charity organizations or events, there is no shortage of opportunities for both paid and unpaid partnerships. What is most important, however, is determining whether the proposed partner’s audience is appropriate for your brand.
The most successful partnerships consider the end consumer first and foremost. This means that the consumer either already is (or should be) a fan of both brands and that the partnership is natural and compelling to them. For example, as much as you may love your toothbrush and your car, a partnership between Crest and Tesla may not be in either brand’s best interest.
When looking at partners, brands must consider not only their current audience but their past as well. This means considering any scandals, past or current partnerships that may conflict and even upcoming projects to ensure that the partnership is a good fit. The worst partnerships tend to stick in the minds of consumers, like the Kendall Jenner and Pepsi collaboration.
In short: Do your homework before making the final decision.
What are the Best Types of Partnerships?
Much like any relationship, brand partnerships can range from casual flings to committed connections. Some can occur on social media only, while others can extend to print and broadcast, out-of-home advertising, events and much more. The key is determining what you want to accomplish, how big of a story the partnership is and what your budget looks like.
For small campaigns, a social media partnership with a targeted micro-influencer can often be arranged with a small budget, or even just through product gifting. This may be all that it takes to gain visibility for the brand among the target audience that follows the influencer while providing valuable cache and credibility for the influencer.
For larger campaigns, an event sponsorship or charity affiliation creates an ongoing opportunity to raise visibility and engagement with both parties, leading to content-sharing opportunities, media coverage and possibly a strong customer call to action. All are great ways to drive success through partnerships.
The most visible option is a co-branding partnership. This usually results in a product or service offering that bears the names of both partners and is promoted to each audience and a larger consumer base as well through the strength of the product or service. This category includes famous examples like Doritos x Taco Bell, GoPro x Red Bull, Dior x Nike Air Jordan and Missoni x Target. This type of collaboration showcases a specific product or service offering and compels consumer conversation and revenue. Like a good peanut butter and banana sandwich, the best brand collaborations are delightful while being a little unexpected as well.
How to Develop the Best Partnership Strategy
By this point, the gears should be turning and your partnership plan to end all partnership plans is already being developed in your mind. But pump the brakes there for a second, and make sure you are considering the five most important elements of a successful brand partnership:
1) Does the partner’s audience align with our audience (or one we’d like to reach)?
2) Do we possess shared values and identity elements that make for a natural partnership?
3) Can we create something exciting for our audience?
4) Are our goals and expectations aligned?
5) Can we be successful with the budget we have to work with?
If the answer to all of these questions is yes, then don’t let us stop you from creating the brand partnership of your dreams! But for those who need a little help, there are agencies and resources out there to help, so don’t feel the pressure to do it all yourself.
Evins Communications Realizes Significant First-Half Growth In 2024
Agency wins clients across food, wine, spirits and lifestyle sectors
NEW YORK, July 10, 2024 – Evins Communications (“Evins”), a New York-based marketing communications and public relations agency known for delivering innovative programs with business-changing impact, achieved notable new client growth in the first half of the year, exceeding expectations. The Agency, along with its Teuwen division, proudly welcomed AVE by Korman Communities, Connect the Dots Collective, Jos. A. Magnus & Co., Coppercraft Distillery, Fox & Oden, Flying Ace, Thatcher’s Organic Artisan Spirits, Farage Cioccolato, Klocke Estate, The New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) and Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars.
“We are so excited to work with these incredible organizations,” said Jacqueline Long, President, Evins Communications. “They share our vision for building brands by combining disruptive creativity with personalized experiences, informed by technology.”
Evins has been tapped by these businesses to provide marketing communications services including media relations, brand positioning, social media strategy, awareness-building campaigns and influencer programming, among other agency proficiencies.
“As a growing real estate brand, we intentionally sought a partner who understood hospitality brands as we continue to expand our national footprint, and Evins immediately connected with our unique vision and service,” said Ashley Cerasaro, SVP Communications, AVE. “Their team quickly rolled up their sleeves and did extensive research on our brand and markets. We are looking forward to a long, mutually beneficial partnership.”
AVE specializes in elevated apartment living, pioneering the hospitality approach to residential real estate. Fully furnished and contemporary unfurnished apartments are available at 14 communities across six states (and coming Fall 2024: AVE Santa Clara and AVE Paradise Valley). Evins is responsible for building overall brand awareness and visibility through both national and regional media relations, as well as new property launches.
Connect the Dots Collective is an all-female brand innovation company offering an exclusive integrated approach to marketing, sales, public relations, new product development, eCommerce and digital innovation for legacy and new proprietary wine, non-alcohol, adaptogenic, and CBD/THC beverage brands. Evins is leading their communications strategy, including media relations, thought leadership positioning, and new product introductions.
Evins first began working with CraftCo on a project basis with their flagship whiskey portfolio, Joseph A. Magnus and was subsequently engaged to work on their entire portfolio . Based in Holland, Michigan, the brand’s portfolio of award-winning craft brands includes Coppercraft Distillery, Fox & Oden, Flying Ace and Thatcher’s Organic Artisan Spirits, in addition to Joseph A. Magnus. Evins has launched a brand and portfolio marketing communications program to drive awareness, engagement and trial through media relations, influencer relations, brand partnerships and trade initiatives.
Farage Cioccolato, the Milan-based brand renowned for its artfully designed chocolates, teas, jams and porcelains, is known for unrivaled quality and enchanting design. The brand engaged Evins to redevelop and relaunch the brand internationally through a comprehensive marketing communications program that includes brand strategy and positioning, brand expansion and brand experiences, events and promotions, website redesign and e-commerce expansion, media and influencer campaign, and social media strategy.
Sitting on 160 acres of vineyards and orchards, Klocke Estate offers an immersive distillery experience coupled with exceptional earth-to-glass brandy and terroir-driven menu offerings. The Estate, located in New York’s picturesque Hudson Valley, engaged Evins to provide media relations, influencer relations, social media and brand partnerships.
The mission of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) is to promote the world-class image of New York grapes and wines from across the state to responsibly benefit farmers, producers and consumers. This spring, Teuwen launched an integrated communication plan to authentically connect New York Wines with consumers, media and trade through media relations, social media initiatives, trade and consumer promotions.
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, the legendary Napa Valley winery whose Cabernet Sauvignon was awarded the highest honor in the red wine category at the 1976 Judgment of Paris, continues to cultivate perfection with precise viticulture and forward-thinking winemaking practices. Teuwen, who began work with the brand in March, has developed a comprehensive communications program to engage media as well as trade and consumers, and bring the storied brand to new audiences.
“The wine expertise of Evins Communications’ Teuwen division, characterized by a successful track record of transforming the marketing landscapes for previously under-appreciated regions, stands as a beacon of potential for us,” said Sam Filler, NYWGF Executive Director.
Since its inception in 1987, Evins has operated at the intersection of communications, culture and community, developing a reputation for impactful work. The Agency’s philosophy is rooted in the belief that hospitality is an ethos transcending an industry and that personal, culturally relevant experiences are what drives brand building. The continued expansion of the agency’s portfolio, as well as the acquisition of Teuwen in 2023, reinforces the effectiveness of its approach to public relations and furthers the expertise and offerings in the wine and spirits industry.
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About Evins Communications:
Evins Communications is an independent marketing communications agency with an established track record for providing consequential business strategies and success for leading beverage, hospitality and lifestyle brands. For over 35 years, Evins has developed PR campaigns that drive conversation, build communities and spark change by breaking barriers to help clients achieve results for their businesses and for the better good. For more information, please visit www.evins.com.
About Teuwen Communications, An Evins Communications Company:
Teuwen is an award-winning wine and spirits public relations and marketing group with insight and influence. A collaborative and creative team of industry experts with authentic media, trade and influencer connections, Teuwen produces personalized, strategic and integrated programs with powerful results. Teuwen’s capabilities, expertise and knowledge are amplified by the enhanced reach, resources, and experience of Evins. For more information, please visit www.teuwen.com.
Setting Expectations: The New Breed of Metrics and How You Should Be Measuring Success
Long gone are the days of relying on metrics like circulation and advertising value equivalency to measure the success of PR efforts. Metrics like these may still have their place in some instances, but technology and tools have made for big advances in finding the most informative key performance indicators (KPIs). Here are five that you should be paying more attention to as a brand or business.
Earned Traffic
The ultimate goal of public relations is to compel action and earned traffic measures how much website traffic that coverage is driving for your clients. By sharing access to GA4 (the latest Google Analytics for websites) with their agency, businesses can learn more about what media coverage is doing for their company – and how to measure success. Earned traffic is just the tip of the iceberg, and using metrics like conversions, leads generated and returning visitors can also be used to track the customer journey from introduction to purchase.
Share of Voice
It seems so obvious, but many brands don’t even know who their competitors truly are, let alone how to track their success against them. One of the easiest ways to take the pulse of your success in the marketplace is a share of voice analysis. Conversation leads to purchase, and brands being discussed are brands being considered, so understanding your share of voice versus competitors is a great way to track what campaigns are resonating and creating buzz – and which are falling flat.
Brand Sentiment
One of the more ‘classic’ metrics on this list, sentiment is still not taken as seriously as it should in the analysis and monitoring department by many brands. Understanding the most sentiment is neutral, many companies use sentiment solely to track negative mentions that need attention (if they track it at all). There is a huge opportunity to use all sentiment to see what is resonating with your customers, what they’d like to see more of and where you may be creating friction with your audience.
Keyword and Message Permeation
One of the metrics that Evins often uses that clients don’t usually consider is message and keyword permeation. If we draft a pitch or create a campaign angle to share with media, influencers or the general public, one of the best ways to track if it is resonating with those audiences is to check against the words and phrases to see how much they are being used in online conversation and media coverage. In fact, this can sometimes show which parts of a campaign are working and which are not, allowing for a quick pivot to optimize success.
Engagement Rate
Much like message permeation, one underutilized way to measure success is through engagement rate. For over a century, PR success has been measured by awareness, but that was only in the absence of access to data confirming action being taken by an audience. With modern technology and tools, we have more data than ever before and tracking the percentage of the audience that is engaging with your content and media coverage as well as how they are engaging (and what actions they are taking) is an amazing indicator of the potential ROI of a program or campaign.
These five examples are just a few ways to track success, and depending on the product, service or industry, there are sure to be many more that you can use to better track the success of your campaigns. What are some metrics that you can’t live without? Let us know by email or through social media!
What to Know About the Relationships Between Media Outlets and A.I.
In late May, Vox Media and The Atlantic announced a deal with OpenAI, the latest media companies to announce agreements to establish content partnerships with the companies behind this emerging technology. OpenAI alone has recently signed deals with News Corp (The Wall Street Journal, the New York Post, and The Daily Telegraph), Axel Springer (Business Insider and Politico), DotDash Meredith (People, Better Homes & Gardens, Investopedia, Food & Wine, and InStyle), the Financial Times, and The Associated Press. But what does this mean for these media companies, and the ones resisting the dollars to partner?
Media companies bet big on social media integration just a few years ago, and Meta (owner of Facebook and Instagram) spent billions on partnerships with key new outlets globally for the launch of its Facebook News Tab. Recent updates from the company state that users utilizing the tab in the U.S. and Australian dropped by 80% in 2023, sparking a pivot away from further integration with news outlets.
Much like social media’s credibility problem when it comes to trustworthy content, generative A.I. tools have been called out for inaccuracies and ‘hallucinations’ in their content, like the recent rollback of A.I. search summaries used by Google for suggestions that people should eat stones and put glue in their pizza caused a commotion. Pulling more content from trusted news sources will theoretically help with this issue, but some media companies aren’t playing along.
The New York Times went the other direction, announcing a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement in their using of the publications works without permission. This highlights the different opinions on the future of partnerships between A.I. companies and the media. One thing is for sure; media companies are still looking for alternative revenue sources to replace print advertising dollars and A.I. companies need a consistent resource for vetted, trustworthy content. How the two industries figure it out (or don’t) is yet to be seen, but we will be watching very closely.
Is That Event Worth Sponsoring? Five Questions To Ask Before Committing
Events are back in a big way in 2024, and so are sponsorship opportunities for brands and businesses. In fact, 89% of professionals say that events are critical to reach their business objectives. But with all of the different options for reaching a new audience, how do you determine the most effective use of your budget? We have five quick ways to determine if that event is right for your brand, and how to make the most out of those sponsorship dollars.
1. Is the right audience in attendance?
You’ve done the work to identify your target customer, but many will throw that all out the window if an exciting event opportunity comes along. Looking to reach Gen Z, for instance? Recent data shows that 2 out of 3 say events are relevant to them. Regardless of your ideal audience, the most important question to ask yourself is ‘how does this help me reach them?’. If the answer is unclear or ‘it doesn’t’, move on to the events that will put your brand in front of the right people.
2. Is the event in the right location?
Just because an event is well-known or prestigious doesn’t mean it is right for your brand. For instance, if you are a small startup trying to build a presence in New York, a beach bash in Miami may not be the best option for your event sponsorship dollars. It is true that every brand needs to think globally, but in this instance, save your budget for events that target your key markets.
3. Is my brand showcased in the right way?
Sure, all press is good press and visibility counts for something, but before signing that contract, make sure that your brand is going to be presented in the best possible light. That means the theme and focus of the event aligns with your brand ethos, but also that your name, logo and product are displayed in a tasteful, appropriate manner. If you can’t get specific answers to how your brand will be featured, it may be time to pass.
4. Are my competitors present as well?
Nothing can ruin the benefits and fun of sponsoring an event more quickly than seeing the logo of your biggest competitor next to yours on the invitation. That’s why it is absolutely acceptable to request category exclusivity to go along with your sponsorship dollars. The event may request more money in return, but unless it is an industry-focused event, your brand will benefit from the exclusivity.
5. Is the value there?
Most importantly, is the participation cost worth it for your brand? Studies show that events and experiential marketing have a success rate of 38%, which is well above digital advertising, content marketing and even partnerships. Don’t be afraid to do the math and calculate the cost per attendee. Brands are used to doing this with digital ads and other spends, but it doesn’t always factor in as a metric when looking at events. The cost per potential customer absolutely needs to be considered, and if the cost is too high compared to your other marketing channels, don’t be afraid to bring it up with the event organizers or walk away from the opportunity entirely.
AND ONE MORE THING TO CONSIDER…
6. What does my brand get out of the event?
Visibility is great, but what else? More than half of marketers think that event marketing drives the best ROI, but it’s all about how you make those results happen. Do you have access to photos from a professional photographer, do you receive a full guest list of attendees with contact information, or can you send a custom email to all attendees through the event mailing list? All of these options (and many others) are crucial to consider in determining whether to participate in an event. After all, the event itself is a great way to introduce or further enlighten people about your brand, but it is the marketing work afterwards that will truly determine the ROI of the event, and you will want to have access to as much information and post-event content from the organizers as possible.
Finding Your Voice: How To Set A Social Channel Strategy For Your Brand
From the new replacements for X/Twitter to the looming threat of a TikTok ban, there’s a lot of options (and a lot to consider) when it comes to where your brand can see the most impact. That’s why we’ve created this short guide to the opportunities out there to help make that decision easier. After all, you can’t be everywhere, but if you do it right it’ll seem like you are to your ideal target audience.
If you ask brands these days which social media platforms are most important to their brand, you will hear a lot about TikTok, even if they aren’t utilizing the platform or aren’t sure how to maximize their efforts. Add to this the threat of a looming ban that many don’t understand, and the confusion is rightfully rife around the site.
This doesn’t mean that users and brands are abandoning the channel – in fact, quite the opposite, as it continues to grow. As a brand, it is important to remember that no matter what happens, TikTok will not disappear overnight, and if your brand is seeing success there is no reason to stop. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t prepare with a contingency plan, which can include other avenues for sharing video content like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, which are viable alternatives if the worst happens to TikTok.
Another concern is X, the platform formerly known as Twitter before being purchased and rebranded by Elon Musk. While it is true that the platform has struggled to grow its user base, there are still over 556 million active users on the site, which receives 6.1 billion visits per month. This is strong proof that the channel isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Still, those looking for alternatives can try Bluesky, Mastodon, or Threads. None are really proven at this point (although Threads is owned and operated by Meta), but having tried them all, we’ve found lively conversation and good opportunities for brands.
Finally, Instagram continues to be a popular avenue for brands, as the popularity of Facebook for brands continues to wane. YouTube is a great option if you have an abundance of video content to share, but those looking to “make a YouTube” without the rights assets and a content creation strategy in place are not going to see the best results from the platform.
Each brand is different, and while some may benefit from a social media channel like X or Threads that prioritizes written content, others truly shine through photos and video. Finding the perfect channels can be a challenge, but don’t be afraid to try it all, and don’t be afraid to pivot if something is not producing the desired results.
