Fast-food employees in the colors of Burger King and KFC working together, with the song Why can’t we be friends of the group War in the background, all adorned with the mention “the collaboration of the century”. In this advertisement, the two brands announce that they are releasing a joint sandwich. A limited-time collaboration, from Wednesday November 27 until December 16.
Seeing two competing brands team up like this has happened before, but rarely two entities as powerful. Franceinfo interviewed a specialist to understand the underside of this collaboration.
1 What is the benefit for brands?
At first glance, a collaboration between two brands that offer the same thing is surprising. But that's precisely the whole point according to Géraldine Michel, professor at the IAE Paris Sorbonne, director of the Brand and Values chair, co-author of the book The art of successfull brands collaboration : “Cis unexpected and surprising. It's almost a message of peace between two competitors who could go to war to attract each other's customers. There is a fairly positive message, very fraternal, it is a communication that feels good, almost. It can please, make you laugh. It’s in line with Burger King’s communication, always very offbeat, with a lot of humor. In this case, it's even stronger with KFC and the fact of making a joint product, and creating the event over a limited period of time.”
2 Is there a negative side?
If in terms of communication and consumption, this collaboration can be a success, the other side of the coin is not so much about the collaboration itself as about its result according to Géraldine Michel: “At the moment, we have a lot of economic and environmental policy questions. And for big brands to come together, just to make a joint product, it's extremely disappointing. When two such powerful brands come together, we might as well do something something good. Today, customers, citizens, need to be given meaning. It's not just to have a good burger. plastic, to make less waste, it would have been great. I work with Ipsos, and what interests people is to do lasting things, which count. The collaborations which encourage people to come, still encourage consumption, and that doesn't. doesn't make sense. So much strength, so much power, why don't they have another message? For example, Adidas and Decathlon joined forces to collect shoes with the aim of building multi-sport fields dedicated to women.
3 Will these collaborations multiply in the years to come?
Once again for Géraldine Michel, everything is a question of meaning. Join forces, yes, but to do what? “Brands cannot only do things for their image, to sell more and to enrich their shareholders. Luxury brands, for example, have understood this very well. They are making a shift because they know that the sustainability of the brand will depend on other imaginaries. It is no longer consumption, the beautiful car, the beautiful swimming pool, etc. They are imaginaries to have a better world in environmental terms. possible actions between competitors of such power who will be able to show that there are new manufacturing processes, reduction of CO emissions2or actions in favor of inclusion or help for those most in difficulty, there it could work because it gives meaning, and that studies show.”
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