The year 2021 came as an unexpected surprise for the business world. Brands and marketers had to rethink and adapt their marketing strategies to withstand a wave that did not look optimistic.
Promotional budgets have also been affected by the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, and the full attention of brands and business owners has shifted to online and, in particular, to new ways to attract consumers’ attention.
Not only brands but also consumers have begun to crave and even prefer partnership marketing strategies to regular marketing campaigns and activities. The partnership marketing strategy in the future, as we said before. It is the new trend that must be kept under observation and allowed to evolve in a controlled way. Controlled, of course, by marketing specialists in partnerships and business owners.
Partnership marketing is an interesting place to be in 2021
The partnership marketing strategy includes a wide range of strategies from influencer marketing to content marketing, affiliate marketing, and many others. The idea behind partnership marketing is for two separate entities (brands or individuals) to work together to add value and increase each other’s revenue.
It is no surprise that partnership marketing strategies increase the value of a global business
Brands of all types and sizes are looking to take advantage of partnership marketing. And all due to the technology that makes partnership marketing strategies possible, easier to use, and less expensive.
Here are the trends to follow in 2021 when it comes to partnership marketing
Let’s take a look at the trends to see what to expect in the coming months. It is important to anticipate from now on and to build a strategy that in extreme situations can be adaptable to inherent alterations.
#1. Difficult times will become more bearable with the right partner beside you
Difficult times seem to continue for a while, and genuine connections will be extremely important in the partnership marketing world. It is expected that the most daring brands will start brand-to-brand partnerships and collaborate with companies alike for mutual gain, in an area too long unexplored by other competitors.
For brands to survive a new economic wave, it will be more important than ever to focus on the real value offered to the consumer, than on their gain. And the inherent reciprocity of these partnerships is what makes this possible, thus ensuring that it is a powerful engine of growth.
#2. The evolving roles of brand Evangelists
We foresee a major shift in terms of influencer marketing partnerships. Brands will be more attentive to the people they choose to team up with in partnership marketing campaigns and will choose authentic people with potential for new audiences.
The use of micro-influencers will be the main direction of brands. Influencers play a significant role in a whole range of purchasing decisions, especially because they enjoy greater authenticity and trust from their niche audience.
That doesn’t necessarily mean that celebrities won’t be present in partnership marketing campaigns. It just means that brands will seek out a more authentic feel for their endorsements.
#3. There’s no size fits all kind of partnership marketing strategy
Neither in life nor partnership marketing strategies is there a recipe for success that any brand can embrace and guarantee its success. It all depends on the circumstances in which that partnership evolves and on what each partner wants from that collaboration. So, it’s imperative that brands and brand owners choose wisely their ally and what channel to approach to gain revenue.
Those were the main trends that caught our eye. Even more intriguing were some brand partnership marketing campaigns and initiatives. Let’s have a look and get inspired!
BrewDog (São Paulo) x Waze
Sao Paulo is known to be the state with the most deaths due to road traffic and drunk driving. So, BrewDog created a safety message with the help of a Waze app that mapped 50 fatal crashes that happened over previous years. Drivers were able to click on the incident and see real media coverage of the fatality of the event with the message “Don’t let it happen again. Don’t drink and drive.”
The Last Bella Ciao x Steve Aoki and Delia for Untold Festival
After a two-year break, Untold Festival organizers prepared a series of unique surprises that started on the first day of the festival. They teamed up with Netflix Romania to create a memorable show tributing the last season of Casa del Papel Spanish Series. Delia and Steve Aoki performed the much-beloved Bella Ciao anthem while the audience enjoyed every moment of the performance.
Partnership marketing strategies are more than just promotions. Carried out at a strategic level, the outcomes can be expansive and deliver full potential and thus have an impact on a brand’s overall marketing message.
Find, filter & connect with new partners and start using partnership marketing as a communication strategy by signing up for FREE on our platform: https://www.partnership-marketing.net/