The 9 Best Unexpected Brand Collabs of 2024 So Far

If 2024 has taught us anything about brand tie-ups, it’s that the more unlikely the collab, the better. In the last eight months, we’ve seen brands partner on a variety of products, campaigns, and experiences. Polly Pocket has gone life-sized with Airbnb, Dunkin’ and Scrub Daddy forged an alliance to make cleaning fun, and Charlotte Tilbury made a curious move into the motorsports arena. These tie-ups have the potential to spark viral moments, drive conversation, and widen brands' customer base, as well as create excitement among existing ones. Seventy-one percent of customers say they enjoy co-branded partnerships, according to B2B platform Visual Objects, so ADWEEK predicts you'll see a few more of these before the year is out.“[These collabs] aren’t for every brand or every day; they’re far narrower in scope and typically shorter in length than their larger mainstream counterparts that have broad appeal,” explains Ralph Failla, senior account director at experiential marketing agency Inspira Marketing Group.“However, when they work, they work wonders to build strong emotional ties amid an authentic joining of companies.” With that in mind, we’ve rounded up some of the best weird and wonderful partnerships from 2024 so far. 1. Polly Pocket x Airbnb Polly's compact formed part of Airbnb's Icons program, which offers unique sleepovers and experiences. To celebrate Polly Pocket’s 35th birthday, Mattel's pocket-sized doll was granted Airbnb host status in August, opening the doors to a 42-foot-tall vintage-themed, two-story Slumber Party Fun compact. Designed by agency Verb, Polly’s life-size pad in her hometown of Littleton, Massachusetts is packed with nostalgic details to take guests back to their childhoods. It is only available for three one-night stays, from Sept. 12-14. The collab marked an addition to Airbnb’s Icons category, a program dedicated to one-of-a-kind stays and experiences. 2. Fenty x Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics Fenty was an unanticipated addition to Paris 2024, joining sponsors including LVMH and Toyota. Rihanna fans are still recovering from her 2023 Fenty x Super Bowl Halftime Show performance, where the artist applied two dabs of Invisimatte Instant Setting + Blotting Powder to her cheeks before getting back on the mic. Never one to miss a beat, the star recently signed a historic partnership with the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, boosting her billion-dollar fortune. The linkup equipped 600 on-the-ground volunteers with kits and tutorials on how to do their makeup for the global event. Fenty Beauty also had makeup artists on-site to match volunteers to their foundation shade. Fenty was an unanticipated addition to the Paris 2024 sponsor roll call, joining the likes of LVMH and Coca-Cola on the podium. 3. Lipton x Cruel Pancake The Lipton x Cruel Pancake collection, partly inspired by 90s fashion, on display in Paris A refreshing collaboration landed this summer from Lipton Iced Tea and streetwear label Cruel Pancake. “That Summer Feeling” is Lipton Iced Tea’s first venture in fashion. The '90s-inspired, 25-piece clothing collection with Cruel Pancake, an up-and-coming label founded by French creator Hugo Philip in 2021, debuted during a pop-up event in Paris in July. Photographer and cinematographer Ludovic Zuili shot the campaign visuals on the French Riviera. To emphasize the brand’s multi-generational appeal, the photos include Gen Z models alongside older fashionistas such as 92-year-old Andres Garcia-Carro Crespo, who is known as “the Spanish King” on social media. 4. Dunkin' x Scrub Daddy Scrub Daddy seamlessly complemeted Dunkin's playful tone of voice. To celebrate National Donut Day in June, Dunkin’ teamed up with cleaning brand Scrub Daddy to bring some fun to the bubbly, grubby pain that is washing the dishes. This collaboration brought pink and orange donut-shaped sponges to stores for a limited time.“The delicious duo is perfect for scrubbing away donut crumbs and wiping up iced coffee spills,” wrote Scrub Daddy on its website. The mash-up came to fruition after a playful tit-for-tat between the pair on TikTok. 5. Charlotte Tilbury x Formula 1 A Charlotte Tilbury car has been designed as part of the collab, to be driven by Lola Lovinfosse, aged 18. Charlotte Tilbury steered into its first global sports partnership this year, signing on as an official partner of the F1 Academy, a training school for women.The beauty brand hopes to reach F1’s 40% female fanbase who contribute to a season viewership of over 1.5 billion. “My brand was created for everyone, everywhere, and as a female founder I’m thrilled that we’re the first-ever beauty brand to support these powerhouse drivers,” said founder Charlotte Tilbury in a statement. Throughout the F1 Academy 2024 season, the beauty brand will promote 15 young drivers aged between 16 and 25. A Charlotte Tilbury car has been designed as part of the collab, to be driven by 18-year-old Lola Lovinfosse. 6. Velveeta x George the Jeweler The 14 Karat Gold Velveeta 'Drip Lip Cuff' was crafted in partnership with cult-favorite celebrity designer George The Jeweler. Kraft Heinz-owned Velveeta’s La Dolce Velveeta platform has had a bumper few years under the stewardship of creative agency Johannes Leonardo, with the brand launching everything from cheese-flavored martinis to scented nail polish and Federico Fellini-style films. In 2024, the brand continued its foray from old pantry staple to lifestyle brand with the launch of a limited-edition Velveeta x George the Jeweler Lip Drip Cuff, a 14-karat ode to the physical drip that Velveeta’s gooey cheese makes when it touches the lips. 7. Crocs x Simone Rocha Simone Rocha x Crocs wanted to 'challenge the conventional by reimagining tradition through contemporary craftsmanship.' Crocs, the world’s favorite ugly shoe, is no stranger to surprising partnerships, having worked with brands from Balenciaga to McDonald’s and Levi’s. At the start of 2024, Crocs teamed up with Irish luxury label Simone Rocha, best known for its namesake founder’s subversive femininity, romanticism, and experimental use of fabrics. The result was a bedazzled limited run of Crocs adorned with pearls and shimmering flowers that has since sold out. 8. E.l.f x Liquid Death First-time collaborators Liquid Death and e.l.f. Cosmetics launchd a Corpse Paint makeup kit. Back in March, cosmetics brand e.l.f found an unlikely bedfellow in canned water challenger Liquid Death. The fruit of their combined labor? A frightful makeup kit called Corpse Paint, filled with products like Kiss of Death lipstick, Dead Set Mist, and Eye Die Shadow. The five-piece co-branded set, packaged in a “keepsake coffin,” retailed for $34 on the e.l.f. website and sold out within 45 minutes of its debut. The partners said they may consider another limited drop. 9. Nails Inc x McDonald’s French fries and Big Macs took center stage in Nails Inc and McDonald's mash-up. McDonald’s partnered with Nails Inc in February for its first-ever beauty collaboration. The range included press-on nails, nail polishes, and nail stickers inspired by the restaurant’s signature colors: bright red and gold. The products were inspired by signature menu items like the Big Mac.

Creativity x Culture

The 9 Best Unexpected Brand Collabs of 2024 So Far

The mash-ups we never knew we needed, from Dunkin' x Scrub Daddy to Lipton x Cruel Pancake

Rebecca Stewart

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Rebecca Stewart