But Why Does This Exist? Brand Collabs Have Jumped the Shark: Are We Finally Over It?

Once upon a time, brand collaborations were about shared DNA—Nike working with Jordan, or LEGO teaming up with Star Wars. It was about storytelling. But somewhere along the way, marketing teams realized that the weirder the collab, the bigger the headlines. Brands stopped asking, Does this make sense? and started asking, Will people screenshot this and post ‘WTF’ on social?

So now, we’re living in the era of “why am I seeing this?” collabs leading us to this segment called:

Why does this exist?

Velveeta’s “Pinkies Out Polish” Campaign

In June 2022, Velveeta, renowned for its creamy cheese products, ventured into the beauty industry by launching a limited-edition, cheese-scented nail polish. This unexpected collaboration with Nails.INC aimed to embody the brand’s “La Dolce Velveeta” philosophy, encouraging consumers to indulge in life’s pleasures. The nail polish set featured two vibrant shades: “La Dolce Velveeta,” a rich yellow reminiscent of Velveeta cheese, and “Finger Food,” a bright red inspired by the brand’s logo. Both polishes were vegan, cruelty-free, and infused with a cheese scent, adding a multisensory twist to the manicure experience.  

Oscar Meyer Streetware

Yes, hot dog merch is a thing. No, we don’t know why. Yes, we do kinda like it.

In September 2021, Oscar Mayer, the iconic American meat brand, ventured into the fashion world with the launch of its “Street Meat” capsule collection—a playful nod to contemporary streetwear trends infused with the brand’s signature flair.  

Breaking away from traditional retail methods, Oscar Mayer chose to sell the “Street Meat” collection exclusively through hot dog carts in select cities. This was cool.

Heinz x Absolut Vodka:

Heinz teamed up with Absolut Vodka to create a vodka-infused pasta sauce, blending the worlds of condiments and spirits. This unexpected pairing intrigued consumers and showcased innovative product development.  

To be honest, it was long overdue. We love it.

Nike x Tiffany & Co. Air Force 1 1837

In early 2023, Tiffany & Co. and Nike unveiled a collaboration that merged luxury jewelry with iconic streetwear: the Nike x Tiffany & Co. Air Force 1 1837. It was a good idea on paper—two cultural powerhouses coming together, luxury meets everyday cool. But when you strip away the hype and narrow it down to the real added value of this sneaker, it falls completely flat. A black Air Force 1 with a Tiffany Blue® swoosh? That’s it? No innovative materials, no boundary-pushing design—just a standard sneaker with a luxury logo attached.

Our take? Eh...

Here’s the thing—brands will keep doing this as long as we keep talking about it. The internet loves a train wreck, and wild collabs guarantee eyeballs. But the real winners will be the brands that move past the gimmicks and bring back meaningful collaborations. Ones that actually create something worth owning, not just something worth tweeting (we are still fond of this word.)

The future of brand collabs? Maybe it’s time to stop chasing shock value and start making things people genuinely want again. Because at this point, if I see one more fast food x fashion drop, I’m gonna need a break.

Thank you for spending time at the Trend Desk