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Brand Collabs Are Getting Out of Control - And We Need to Talk About It



Once upon a time, brand collaborations made sense. Two complementary companies teamed up to create something that felt natural. Think Nike x Apple, where fitness met tech. Or Supreme x Louis Vuitton, merging streetwear and luxury in a way that actually worked.


But lately? It’s gotten weird.


Today’s brand collabs aren’t about innovation or synergy. They’re about hype for hype’s sake—a desperate grab for headlines, no matter how bizarre or disconnected the partnership is.



At some point, we need to ask: are these partnerships genius marketing moves or just brands throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what goes viral?


We’re in the ‘Sh*tpost Marketing’ Era

Collabs used to feel exclusive—a merging of two great brands to create something unique. Now? It’s about being so random that it trends on Twitter for 24 hours


Brands aren’t asking, “Does this make sense?” They’re asking, “Will this get people talking, even if they’re laughing at us?”


Take Grimace. McDonald’s launched the Grimace Shake, thinking it would be a fun, nostalgia-driven promo. Instead, Gen Z turned it into a viral horror meme - posting videos of themselves drinking the shake and immediately “dying” in increasingly dramatic, gory scenarios.


And McDonald’s? They leaned in. They didn’t plan it, but they ran with it because any engagement is better than none.

That’s where we are now: post-ironic brand marketing. Companies don’t care if you love their collab, as long as you’re talking about it.


Does Any of This Actually Drive Sales?

Here’s the real question: do these viral stunts translate into real brand loyalty and revenue?


The answer is… sometimes.


Gucci x Adidas? Resale prices soared.


But on the flip side, many collabs are pure noise. People might laugh at the joke, but they’re not actually buying the product.


Did anyone really go out and buy a jar of Heinz x Absolut Vodka Pasta Sauce because of the marketing? Or was it just an excuse for food bloggers to post about it once and move on?


If the product itself isn’t strong, if the collaboration doesn’t enhance the brand, then all you have is a fleeting moment of virality that disappears the second the next weird stunt comes along.


The Future of Collabs: Real vs. Gimmick

Collabs can be powerful. But if brands want long-term impact—not just Twitter buzz—they need to stop chasing randomness and focus on partnerships that actually make sense.


Authenticity over absurdity – A good collab should feel like an extension of the brand, not a desperate attempt to go viral.


Quality over meme culture – If your product is just a joke, people will laugh… and then forget about it.


Innovation over attention-seeking – The best collabs create something new that neither brand could do alone.


The next time a brand drops some absurd crossover and people start tweeting, ask yourself:

Is this marketing brilliance—or just a publicity stunt with no real impact?


Because if brands keep treating collabs like internet sh*tposts, it won’t be long before consumers stop caring altogether.


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