Emillie Carrasco
From the very first release of the Nike Air Jordan in 1985, to the flooded social media timelines containing the hashtag BrandX(insert influencer) of 2019, collaborations have played a vital role in engaging with new and existing customers. Brands and their marketing teams spend countless hours looking for their perfect match when it comes to endorsing their lifestyle and products, and often times this is seen as the most effective marketing strategy in targeting audiences across the entire spectrum.
The following designs aim to provide artistic information on the most popular collaborations and collaborators within the sports and fashion worlds, and how they have affected marketing strategies moving forward.
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Each of these was the defining collaboration of its decade. FilaXDiadora was the first collaboration with a sport or tennis shoe, which then led to arguably the most popular partnership of all time — NikeXMichaelJordan. Jordan eventually became its own brand within the Nike company and is still the most sought after shoe to this day. Collaborations, like NikeXApple, changed the game for lovers of running and technology. Each of these pieces changed the way audiences view the brands and the genres they represent.
These pieces were created in order to mimic the act of holding a cellphone and the images that would appear when scrolling through instagram. Influencer collaborations, through all social media platforms, are some of the most successful and sought after. Some of these monetized posts include giveaways, sponsored ads, and collaborations, and you get a glimpse of what those posts may look like on your feed. Each of these sub-genres have different rules and contracts for the influencer to abide by, and with advancements in technology the viewer can often buy the item straight from the picture or post.
This piece provides information on the ‘X” being the defining symbol of every collaboration, the most sought after collaborator of the decade, Virgil Abloh, and a few of the most popular collaborations from countries around the world all in one place.
The map above is an extension of the piece found in the magazine, and elaborates on collaborations from all over the world and provides information on what allowed them to make their mark whether it be cars, movies, beverages, or fashion.
Pretend you’re looking to collaborate with a well-known brand but aren’t sure where to start, this is the list of steps to take when seeking out the brand that would fit your product/service/goals best and allow you to stay true to your brand’s values.
Although most of these creators specialize in Streetwear, their name and creative touch is seen in collaboration with mainstream brands like Ikea, Adidas, and Oreo. Anyone with a love for clothing searches far and wide for items with these names attached in order to have a piece of high fashion.
These are a few of Nike’s most popular collaborations stemming from the release of the Jordan silhouette in 1985 to today’s take on it with JordanXDior, set to release Summer 2020. The name attached, and the resell value, make these shoes a prized possession for anyone willing to pay the price and have paved the way for Nike’s success in the shoe world.
Each of the collaborators to the side are to be matched with the correct collaborative partner on the posters. The main idea with this piece is to show that brands, although in different genres, have the same goals making them perfect collaboration partners.
The role of the influencer began in 1905 with the endorsement of cigarettes via radio. As the world has evolved so has the influencer. From the well-known Flo of Progressive, to athletes and celebrities like Cristiano Ronaldo, and now the emergence of the YouTuber or Social Media Influencer. Content Creators, like Casey Neistat (illustrated) make millions of dollars a years producing videos with their cellphones and cameras, and are often the first to review new products and give their opinion to their millions of followers and subscribers. These icons are who viewers today look to today in order to make decisions on what/what-not to buy.
Why are brands choosing to incorporate collaborations into their marketing strategies? Each of these panels lists a reason as to how it can improve a brand’s reach, break into new markets, and help their identity get noticed in every sector.
Using Lebron James, we can understand a few of the differences between his collaborations and his endorsement deals. The limitations stated here are what many other celebrities have to follow, as well, when being hired to endorse a company or collaborate with it.
Design on a clothes hanger poster mockup 
Design on a clothes hanger poster mockup 
Design on a clothes hanger poster mockup 
Design on a clothes hanger poster mockup 
Design on a clothes hanger poster mockup 
Design on a clothes hanger poster mockup 
Design on a clothes hanger poster mockup 
Design on a clothes hanger poster mockup
The exhibited clothing collaborations above were some of the most anticipated and successful in the last three years. While most made their debut on runways around the world, others were displayed on instagram, music festivals, and red carpets. As I hand-painted these on acrylic panels I wanted to demonstrate the craft and detail that is it put into every piece of fabric in order for it to make its mark among the rest. Displaying them on hangers reinforces the clothing genre of collaborations.
Above are stickers to be taken away from the gallery with the name of my show and one to reinforce one of the most well-known names in the collaboration game and inspiration for my thesis and show.