The Insights

A well-executed Brand or Marketing Partnership can offer a turn-key solution to drive tangible results across the entire customer funnel.

As we enter a cost-of-living crisis in the UK and Europe, the effect on rising business overheads and the squeeze on marketing budgets is already visible. As a result, brands are seeking smarter and more cost-effective ways to reach and engage with less confident consumers, Partnership Marketing offers a multi-faceted opportunity to deliver value.

When we look at this with a Pan-European (EMEA) lens, we see the economies of scale multi-territory partnership campaigns can bring. Partnerships can provide access to new channels of engagement across existing and new-to-market territories, with a centralised activation adapted and enhanced to meet the needs of each Region.

The Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) for September 2022 shows the UK confidence metric fell into negative territory for the first time since the height of the pandemic in May 2020 - a pattern we see repeated across most European territories.

Whilst this consumer sentiment may prompt brands to double down on lower funnel maintenance and longer-term strategic programmes, we believe brand awareness and relevancy has also never been so important. Keeping focus on the entire funnel is of utmost importance.

The Opportunity

Partnerships are mutually beneficial, allowing two synergised organisations to bring together their creative and audiences, to create a compelling story, provide mutual endorsement, gather further learnings on their customers and drive commercial value.

Partnerships centered around key cultural moments and intellectual properties are also an effective way to keep brands relevant and top of mind.

The right Partnership will connect a brand to established, engaged and relevant audiences as part of an existing browsing or transactional journey.

The Data

As a data-driven agency, we expect every campaign we develop and execute to deliver measurable results against client KPIs. Here are some recent examples:

• We brokered a Partnership with a QSR delivery brand and an animated family film, which drove a +45% increase in kids menu sales. In addition 46% of sales during the promotional period were attributed to new customers.
• A renowned beverage brand benefited from a +340% sales uplift on a retail-led promotion when we partnered them with a well synergised entertainment brand.
• In the personal care sector, we created a partnership with a major entertainment property which drove a +17% increase in online engagement.
• In the gaming sector, we led an activation between a new game release and a confectionary brand which delivered 7-figure value and true omnichannel reach. Retail marketing, sampling, paid media support, earned/organic media support and Influencer activations, were all delivered as one campaign.