A few months ago, I saw an advertisement for Vera Bradley bags with Disney characters on them. Vera Bradley is a brand well known for it’s bright and eye-catching patterns, but in this instance they were borrowing from another familiar brand, replacing floral designs with Mickey Mouse ears.
Vera Bradley and Disney are two of my favorite companies, so I immediately thought that this was a great idea for a new line of bags. But what struck me next was the brilliance of the marketing strategy. Vera Bradley was riding the tails of a hugely successful brand, Disney, knowing that there are a good number of obsessed consumers in the world who will buy anything related to Disney.
At the same time, Disney was benefitting because they could take advantage of Vera Bradley’s huge following as well–attracting the thousands of women who buy Vera Bradley bags. Additionally, now there were even more people walking around wearing the Disney logo, sharing their branding. And even the consumers win—getting a high-quality bag with a beloved figure imprinted on it. It’s a win-win-win across the board.
I love cross marketing, because it allows two companies to come together, to put all competitiveness aside, and to recognize that if they work together, both can benefit.
Are you doing this with your brand?
Whether it’s the company you work for or your personal brand, you need to be associating with other brands will increase your fan base, followers, or customers. Here’s some small ways that you can start cross marketing today:
- Pay it forward. When you see something good, share it with your network. If you become a voice that’s respected by others, then they’ll want to share your product as well.
- Ask for contributions. Take on a guest lecturer, blogger, designer. Make it publicly known that it’s their work for your brand. For instance, take the set of Diet Coke bottles designed by acclaimed fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg. Fashion + Beverage = more Diet Coke sold to a wider customer base.
- Study your admirers. Who is your top customer? What else do they love? Build relationships with the other brands that your customers love, and you’ll keep their admiration for the decades to come.
By the way, I have spoken several times for the Vera Bradley corporation and Disney–some might call this cross marketing! Have you or your company tried cross marketing? How did it go? Comment below or email me to tell me about it!
As a speaker and author, Curtis Zimmerman has impacted over one million people with his life-changing messages and award-winning programs. Curtis is an expert at transforming organizations by inspiring individuals to live their lives at performance level.
Want to be inspired? Check out his podcast The Next 24 Hours.
