What is Dual Branding? Dual Branding refers to the collaboration between two brands to enhance both of their identities, recognition and awareness. In much simpler words, one brand or company recommends another brand as a combination for their product.
(It is not to be confused with Co-Branding and it is not related to Mergers. Both of which are entirely different concepts.)
Before you read further, I’d like you to recall any dual branding campaign you have recently come across. Let me know in the comments.
With that definition in mind, how do you get your Dual Branding Strategy right?
· Be clear with the collaboration objectives:
Before you start anything, decide your objective. Ask your marketing team these questions:
- Why do want to collaborate?
- What is the benefit of the collaboration?
- What effect does the collaboration have on your existing brand image?
- What will be the target audience for your strategy?
- What are the continuity plans for the strategy?
Make sure you have your objectives clear. You are collaborating with another brand which may have a different target market with different positioning, targeting, and so on.
· Both brands should have similar brand personalities:
Brand personality is the traits and characteristics of a brand with which customers can relate to. These are human traits but applied to a brand. For E.g. Disney has a sincerity trait to it and Tiffany and Co. is more towards sophistication.
Similar brand personalities do not mean that both brands have to be in the same industry, but should have similar personality characteristics.
For example GoPro and Redbull.
Both these brands are in entirely different industries but both brands have an adventurous trait to them. Also both are not just products. They both market themselves as lifestyle products. With such core marketing similarities, GoPro and Redbull perfectly complement each other.
· The strategy should deliver a unique benefit to the customer:
Your dual branding strategy should solve a problem or deliver a unique benefit to the customer. With a unique solution, the strategy becomes impactful and differentiating from that of a standalone brand strategy.
For example, Apple and Nike collaborated and introduced Apple Watch Nike+. They paired Nike Sport Bands with Apple Watch Series 2. The new product had a GPS, a brighter display, water resistance and a dual core processor.
When you collaborate with a brand, try to use your and the partner brand’s core offerings creating a fusion that is unique for the customers.
In the above case, Nike offers athletic products and Apple offers sophisticated technology.
· Use both brand identities:
What are brand identities? It is the collection of elements that a company may use to convey the intended image to the consumer. This includes things like packaging design, graphics, visuals, public relations etc.
In a dual branding strategy, you should use your brand’s assets such as your logo, typography, social media graphics etc. and combine it with your partner brand.
It’s important that there needs to be a balance between assets of both brands. So both of them get equal attention.
Dual Branding is a clever tactic for brands to market their products and increase sales. Hope you enjoyed this article.
