Whether post-lockdown in China or during lockdown in the US, the coronavirus crisis is severely impacting consumer demand worldwide—especially in the apparel category. In this context, we continue to see companies turn to brand mashups, with the unique nature of these products helping brands generate interest and their limited-edition nature helping to drive sales. In many cases, these mashups involve collaborations between highly dissimilar brands—such as Supreme and Oreo—creating highly differentiated products, and ones that have the social-media “shareability” factor, amplifying the marketing impact of these collaborations. Supreme x Oreo Cookies: Social Media Buzz On March 26, 2020, the much-anticipated, limited-edition Supreme x Oreo cookie was officially released. This new creation by streetwear company Supreme and the Oreo product—two brands seemingly unlikely to collaborate—has been drawing attention from fans since it was first announced by Supreme on February 17. The company used social media platform Twitter to reveal a picture of the new product and that it would be “Coming Soon,” in a tweet that has gained 67,100 likes and 18,700 shares, as of April 28. Prior to the product’s release, well-known Instagram influencer “Bread Face”—who is known for crushing bread or crackers with her face and has 194,000 followers—posted a preview of the special-edition red Oreo, which further drove consumer interest on social media. The photograph was reposted by Supreme’s official Instagram account, alongside the following text: “US Retail - $3. As our stores in the US, UK and France are temporarily closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19, shipping fees will be waived on all orders over $150.” [caption id="attachment_108719" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Source: supremenewyork.com (left)/, Instagram (@breadfaceblog) (right)[/caption]   Social media hype has continued around the Supreme x Oreo product since it was launched, with the brand mashup gaining global attention. For example, Chinese social media platform Weibo.com has seen many posts about the red Oreo, and image-based website Pinterest also shows a variety of interesting ways to eat the Oreo, as well as merchandise featuring the product—such as graphic T-shirts. [caption id="attachment_108720" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Source: weibo.com[/caption]   [caption id="attachment_108721" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Source: pinterest.com[/caption]   What is interesting is that e-commerce platform eBay has become a source of offering a “black market” for Supreme x Oreo. Before the product’s launch, the price was rumored to be $8 per pack, but listings appeared on eBay selling the red cookie for much higher prices of generally up to $100—with one even setting a price of $4,000. This brand mashup therefore effectively utilized social media to drive exposure and buzz to build excitement among existing fans and attract new consumers for the product. Both brands may then see increased customer bases for their other products now that they have drawn shoppers’ attention. [caption id="attachment_108722" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Source: ebay.com[/caption]   Lamborghini x Supreme Clothing: Elevating Brand Status Streetwear fashion brand Supreme—which usually collaborates with designers, artists, photographers and musicians (with the exception of its mashup with Oreo discussed above)—has now joined with luxury sports car brand Lamborghini. The new clothing line is centered around the fluorescent colors of Lamborghini’s famous car models, such as the Aventador, Diablo and Murciélago. The Lamborghini x Supreme collection was first launched online through Supreme’s e-commerce site on April 2 and was then made available in stores in Japan on April 4. [caption id="attachment_108723" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Source: Lamborghini.com[/caption]   This collection is not only fashion-forward and distinctive, its association with Lamborghini adds a luxury connotation to the Supreme streetwear brand. The special-edition apparel also garnered interest among fans as collectible items. According to StockX, an online, live “bid/ask” marketplace, the cobranded Lamborghini x Supreme collection is in demand on the site. The retail price for a T shirt is $48 but these products have so far been bought through StockX for around 50% higher prices. [caption id="attachment_108724" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Source: Lamborghini.com[/caption]   [caption id="attachment_108725" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Source: stockx.com[/caption]   999 Cold Medicine iDai x Mukzin Face Masks: Targeting Younger Consumers In 2019, Chinese traditional cold medicine brand 999 launched its new sub-brand, iDai, which it then used to collaborate with apparel brand Mukzin. The brand mashup saw the launch of a series of fashionable face masks featuring modern graphic designs. A traditional brand whose user base is typically the older generation, 999 launched the iDai-Mukzin product line to tap into the younger consumer demographic in China—i.e., those born after 1980s, 1990s and even 2000s, and thus renovate its brand image. The video and advertising campaign went viral on Chinese social media sites, such as WeChat and Weibo. [caption id="attachment_108726" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Source: Weibo.com (999 Cold Medicine Official Account)[/caption]   Masks comprise a healthcare business extension to the 999 brand. During the coronavirus pandemic, 999 iDai masks were in high demand: One black mask SKU achieved monthly sales of over 25,000 by the end of March, according to sales data for the Tmall store of 999. The brand supported efforts against the pandemic by offering free masks through its official Weibo account. 999 iDai has been actively seeking new mashup styles through social media Weibo and WeChat—including co-creation with individuals, celebrities or other brands. [caption id="attachment_108727" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Source: iDai Tmall store, 999 Cold Medicine account onWeibo.com[/caption]   Levi's x Super Mario: Accessing a Gaming Fan Base On April 9, 2020, clothing company Levi Strauss & Co. launched a collaborative clothing line featuring one of Nintendo’s most iconic and memorable IP, Super Mario. The collection enables Levi’s to tap into the huge fan base of the video game series and incorporate a fun and youthful vibe into the brand through colorful graphics and prints. Bringing the characters and themes of the Super Mario™ world to life should generate interest among consumers, particularly existing fans of the game. [caption id="attachment_108728" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Source: Levi’s.com[/caption]   The collection is available online and in stores around the world. In China, Levi’s x Super Mario products are also being sold on the apparel brand’s Tmall store. A number of key opinion leaders have been invited to showcase the clothing on social media, further promoting the collection. [caption id="attachment_108729" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Chinese supermodel LIU Wen showcases her look in Levi’s x Super Mario
Source: Weibo.com [/caption]   Key Insights With the backdrop of the global coronavirus pandemic, brands can still actively find new and creative ways to stay relevant and create excitement for shoppers—even though brick-and-mortar stores are mostly shut down. The limited-edition nature of products creates a sense of urgency and FOMO (fear of missing out) among consumers, helping to drive sales. And the unique nature of the products makes them highly shareable for social media, amplifying the marketing impact.