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Date: 21.08.2025
In today’s marketing world, it’s hard to truly surprise anyone, and yet some brands still manage to do it. More and more often, we see partnerships that at first glance seem completely absurd, even impossible. What does a prestigious museum have in common with bandages, a luxury truffle sauce with lip gloss, or fast food with toothpaste?
These collaborations are not just about the marketing “wow factor”. They’re also a sign of the times: consumers bored with predictability who expect brands to be bold, playful, and inventive. That’s why these “out-of-place” partnerships go viral, inspire audiences, and often… sell out within hours.
Below are a few of the most surprising brand mash-ups – collabs no one saw coming, but everyone loved. They’re great examples of how far creativity can be stretched and how effectively a brand can stand out against predictable competition.
1. Democratizing culture
Example: The Met x Band-Aid
The Metropolitan Museum of Art teamed up with Band-Aid to create a limited edition of bandages decorated with art reproductions.
Why it’s surprising: Combining a prestigious cultural institution with an everyday healthcare product is unusual and witty. No one expected masterpieces to end up… on wound plasters.
Strategic comment: This collab brings great art closer to people who may never visit The Met, while also redefining Band-Aid as not just functional, but also aesthetically inspiring.
2. Multisensory beauty x food fusions
Example: Tarte x Truff, Hot Gloss
Cosmetics brand Tarte collaborated with luxury hot sauce maker Truff to create lip glosses inspired by truffles and spicy flavors.
Why it’s surprising: It blends culinary luxury with a beauty product, creating a whole new sensory category.
Strategic comment: It responds to the growing need for multisensory beauty experiences – consumers want to feel, taste, and engage with products in fresh ways. Cosmetics become almost culinary experiences, engaging emotions and senses alike.
3. Marketing absurdities – the less sense, the better
Example: KFC Toothpaste
KFC presented a conceptual toothpaste with chicken flavor.
Why it’s surprising: Combining fast food and oral hygiene seems absurd – and that’s exactly why it works. The product sparks laughter, surprise, and instant reactions.
Strategic comment: The brand generates buzz by showing it understands meme culture and doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s a modern form of self-parody that successfully attracts younger audiences.
4. Grill lifestyle and integrated flavor experiences
Example: Pringles x Miller Lite
The brands created a joint grilling set combining chips and beer into one experience.
Why it’s surprising: It’s not just a product – it’s about designing consumer occasions and flavor rituals.
Strategic comment: The brands don’t just meet needs, they shape them – showing what the “perfect grill” should look like. It’s a strategy of building loyalty through emotional associations and shared experiences.
5. Sensory category crossovers
Example: Mountain Dew x Blind Barber – Beach Bound Collection
A soda brand teamed up with a grooming company to launch gels and sprays scented like Baja Blast.
Why it’s surprising: Translating a beverage flavor into fragrance and grooming products is a bold, unexpected move.
Strategic comment: This goes beyond branding – it extends the brand experience to new senses. Mountain Dew can now be not only drunk, but also worn – creating stronger, everyday associations.
Final thoughts – from a strategist’s perspective
Surprising collaborations are no longer just a passing trend, but a new language for brands. In an age of communication overload and low tolerance for boredom, brands need to do more than just advertise their products – they must tell stories, surprise, and evoke emotions. That’s exactly what these collaborations do: they cross category boundaries, break patterns, and build experiences. And the most surprising part? These unexpected moves are proving to be the most effective today.