The Odd Couple

Abstract: The purpose of this research is to explore the phenomenon of Unconventional Brand Collaborations from a consumer culture perspective and discover the factors that make them appealing to Gen Z. Hence, this study aims to give another perspective than the one given by previous literature on brand collaborations, which emphasizes the need for a high perceived fit between the parent brands. To fulfill the research purpose, a qualitative study was conducted. The research holds the philosophical assumptions of a relativistic ontology and social constructionism epistemology. Nine semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather the empirical material for this study. The sample consisted of participants with knowledge of brand collaborations who were between the age of 18 and 25. The study views the phenomenon of Unconventional Brand Collaborations from a consumer culture perspective. However, as existing literature on brand collaborations mostly holds a brand perspective, the consumer culture perspective in this thesis consists of three parts: the postmodern consumer, brand relationships, and unconventional marketing. These constitute the theoretical lens of the thesis together with the previous literature on brand collaborations. This thesis contributes three main conclusions. First, a suggested definition for Unconventional Brand Collaborations is presented, which is currently missing from the existing literature. Second, four values were identified that make Unconventional Brand Collaborations appealing to the consumer: uniqueness, identity, relationship, and utilitarian. These all had two or three factors connected to them, which altogether constitute nine factors making Unconventional Brand Collaborations appealing. Third, four factors that decrease the consumer's appeal for Unconventional Brand Collaborations were identified: disliking or not having a connection to the parent brands, lack of leverage, and lack of authenticity. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the phenomenon from both a theoretical and practical perspective. Furthermore, it adds a consumer culture perspective on the phenomenon. It also illustrates that brand collaborations can be successful when the parent brands have a low perceived fit and illustrate the factors that make it more and less appealing.