Banana Republic & Mad Men at it again
This April, the beloved AMC series, Mad Men will hit the airwaves again, and they have announced that they have collaborated with Banana Republic once again on a co-branded line of clothing just in time for the season premiere.
Emmy-winning Mad Men Costume Designer Janie Bryant is taking a third turn at creating a collection for the national retailer, and this time around, it will feature more than fifty pieces for both men and women. Fashion bloggers are hailing the design sketches for their shorter hemlines for women and bold plaids for men with brighter hues as the show takes a turn into the swinging 60s.
The new line will be available at select Banana Republic stores nationwide February 27, 2013 for $29.50 – $140 for men’s and women’s apparel and accessories.
Related: Banana Republic campaign to feature lifestyle blogger
The era of brand collaboration
In recent years, there has been a rise of collaboration between retailers and designers, with notable collaborations with Target coming to mind including Neiman Marcus, Missoni, Room 365 and others that have brought more than one brand together under the same roof.
It isn’t just stage designers or luxury brands teaming up together in this business climate, and it isn’t just retailers that should be getting creative to keep the cash flowing.
Consider your own business and how you are openly collaborating with peripheral services. If your offering is complemented by another, or heck, if you and an indirect competitor can find ways to collaborate, there is power not only in numbers, but in the ability for more than one brand to reach more than one segment of people.
Here’s a hypothetical situation: if the Minnie’s Gourmet Ice Cream food truck sits next to Jimmy Jack’s BBQ truck every Wednesday, maybe it’s time for the two to team up and offer co-branded treats. Minnie’s could have a Jimmy Jack Bacon cone and Jimmy Jack’s could have a Minnie’s ice cream float on the menu.
Too easy? Okay. If Franklin Plumbing is looking to expand business, and so if Martin Electric, the two could come together to share the printing costs of a coupon door hanger (or any marketing effort), because if someone needs one home service, they may need the other.
Take a pointer from Banana Republic, Target, and others – while innovation lies within you, sometimes business expansion can come from external ideas. Consumers that are familiar with or are a fan of one brand may be willing to try the other, and vice versa. So, think outside of your box!
