Maybelline X Nandos: Cross-Industry Branding Done Right
What do Peri-Peri sauced wings have in common with lipstick?
- They both know how to leave a lasting impression .
Not through smudges or sauce stains, but rather through unexpected flavor. This bold yet genius collaboration between Maybelline Africa and Nando’s proves that cross-industry partnerships can break boundaries. The two brands collaborated to create the Vinyl Ink Sauce Collection, a limited edition lipstick line inspired by Nando’s signature sauces.
The lipstick shades in the collection are bold and made to last through 16 hours of high-impact colour. They are smudge-proof, grease-proof, flake-proof proof and napkin-proof. They are not just about long wear, they are sauce-proof, making it ideal for foodies, beauty lovers, and those who fall somewhere in between.
Through the #HotMess Campaign, the collaboration showed that when you mix gloss with heat, you spark conversations. The campaign encouraged people to embrace their real, messy moments and be unapologetically themselves.
WHY DO UNUSUAL BRAND COLLABORATIONS WORK?
Unusual brand collaborations work because they spark curiosity and start conversations. They are unique, bold, unexpected and newsworthy. However, for these collaborations to work, they must be approached with thoughtfulness and be crafted in a way that complements the brands and allows each one to shine. Maybelline and Nando’s managed to strike the balance perfectly by addressing the real pain point: beauty lovers struggling with smudging lipstick when having to eat messy meals.
SIMILAR BRAND PERSONALITIES
Both brands are bold and celebrate self-expression and confidence. Maybelline encourages people to be unapologetically themselves through makeup, while Nando's celebrates fiery and bold flavours. Both love to experiment and innovate, whether it's vibrant makeup or unique, spicy flavours. They also understand the importance of user-generated content and love to engage their social media-savvy audience in creative challenges. Their shared similarities explain why a beauty brand and food chain brand would form such a natural partnership.
PR & BRANDING LESSONS FROM THE COLLABORATION
Shared Values over Shared Products
Great cross-industry collaborations do not require shared products, but instead, they thrive on shared values. Even though Maybelline and Nando's are different industries, their similarity in brand personality and target audiences makes them a perfect fit.
Key insight: Find similarities between your brand and your partner’s, let those shared values be the foundation of your partnership.
Partnerships Amplify Each Other
Successful partnerships are not about outshining each other but rather, letting each brand shine. By crafting lipsticks that are sauce proof and inspired by Nando's sauces, Maybelline amplified Nando’s while boosting its brand visibility.
Key insights: Look for ways your products or services can complement the brand your partner’s brand. By amplifying the other brand, you will create visibility for yourself.
Collaborations Should Solve Consumers’ Problems
Like the old saying goes, the customer is always right. At the heart of every partnership should be the desire to better meet your customers’ needs. The partnership between Maybelline and Nandos was not only about mutual visibility. It also addressed their customers’ pain point: lipstick smudging when having messy meals. Together, they came up with an innovative solution: smudge-free lipstick.
Key insights: When partnering with another brand, focus on the solution the partnership can bring about. Focus on that and you will be able to build lasting customer loyalty.
In a world crowded with imitators and where brands copy what’s trending, people crave authenticity and fresh, experimental ideas. Repeating of what’s popular only makes people scroll past quickly, they’ve seen it before so why watch it again? To capture the attention, brands should experiment and be willing to take risks. Safe ideas are easily forgettable, but confident collaborations are memorable and shareable.
Let us help you create bold partnerships.