Co-Branding

The other day I blogged about digital “connectedness” and the role of brands in social media. MySpace identifies itself as a platform that creates user experiences around stuff consumers are rabid about and then taps a brand into those experiences. It seems that this is exactly what HBO and K-Swiss have done with their Kenny Powers campaign. Eastbound & Down is a hit TV series featuring the lovable, loud-mouth Kenny Powers. Since using him for a K-Swiss campaign both companies have done a fabulous job of promoting their products in a co-branded fashion. 

Celebrity endorsements have always been a successful marketing tool and young icons like Kenny Powers perfectly target users of social media sites like Facebook. “On Facebook, Kenny Powers has been a hit. K-Swiss’s Facebook “likers” have increased from 12,815 to 82,500in the last month.” ClickZ article

I would encourage all companies to really have a think about the types of conversations people are having surrounding their product category, and then to either join them, or start a new conversation that centres around them. Then, of course, ensure it is being had at the right time in the right place.