{
  "id": 11147521,
  "title": "The latest ploy to get you to spend more money: Bizarre cross-brand collabs",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/the-latest-ploy-to-get-you-to-spend-more-money-bizarre-cross-brand",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-01T08:18:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Insider",
    "slug": "business-insider",
    "url": "https://www.businessinsider.com/brand-collabs-marketing-trend-sales-tactic-customer-attention-2026-10"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Brand collaborations, or \"collabs,\" have become a common occurrence in the business world over the past few months. Companies and celebrities have joined forces to create limited-edition products, ranging from tote bags and sweaters to lip gloss and hairbrushes. Some notable pairings include Dunkin and L.L.Bean, JELL-O and Tower 28, Mane and Cinnabon, Gap and JYT, Realtree and Harley-Davidson, and Peloton and Miley Cyrus.\n\nThe idea behind these collaborations is to generate attention and drive sales. Companies believe that combining two well-known brands in an unexpected way can create excitement and interest among consumers. However, some critics argue that these collaborations sometimes fall short, offering unoriginal ideas or uninspiring products that simply combine logos without creating something truly exciting or creative.\n\nDespite the potential drawbacks, some brands see success in these collaborations. For example, Gap has attributed a growth among younger consumers to its collaborations, believing that they help to bring in new customers. Liquid Death, a canned water company, has also been praised for its bold collaborations, such as its partnership with former NFL star Jason Kelce, who encouraged consumers to send their urine to data centers for a $495 funeral urn. Liquid Death's approach to collaborations involves creating genuine entertainment and not relying on decision-making by committee, which can sometimes lead to unconventional but successful results.",
  "summary": "It's harder than ever to get Gen Z consumers' attention. To win them over, companies are launching increasingly bizarre brand collaborations.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}