End-to-end brand partnership management to leverage third party equity

Brand Partnerships

GENERAL TAKE

When executed well, brand partnerships can provide a mutually beneficial way to leverage equity, generate positive PR, and provide an enhanced experience for customers. Partnerships can provide added value and legitimacy to a product or brand, and can give customers a story to tell about their experience. 

The single most important factor in a successful partnership…find the right partner! The best partners are those that share common values, those who are willing and able to participate in the execution of the partnership, and those who have a common interest in seeing the partnership succeed. It is also extremely important that all departments within an organization buy-in to a partnership for it to be executed properly and succeed. I have experienced that those which are perceived as just “marketing partnerships” and not true brand partnerships will struggle to gain traction.

Princess Cruises Experience

BACKGROUND

At Princess Cruises, I led a new brand strategy which saw the successful integration of several new brand partnerships. The need arose from a desire to remain competitively advantaged in an industry where others were spending large amounts on expensive ship hardware. The goal was to have software product enhancements and PR worthy stories to remain competitive with our target audience.

I drove the entire process from concept development and agreement negotiations, to product integration and promotion. In choosing each partner, we went through a rigorous process to evaluate options. We spoke with multiple candidates, doing not only background checks, but also culture checks to ensure alignment with our organization. Once the decision was made, I was the main contact with respect to all areas as it related to the partner. I helped lead the brand development, product integration, content generation, PR development, and all areas of promotion.

PARTNERSHIP EXAMPLES

Here are just some examples of the brand partnerships I developed for Princess Cruises:

    • Chocolate Journeys with Master Chocolatier Norman Love
    • Crafted by Curtis – New culinary concepts developed with celebrity chef and restaurateur Curtis Stone.
    • The Princess Luxury Bed developed with the Sleep Doctor, Michael Breus and celebrity designer Candice Olson.
    • Discovery at Sea – Onboard products developed in partnership with the Discovery Channel including child learning opportunities.
    • The Voice – Onboard singing competition in partnership with the popular TV show. 
    • The Salty Dog Gastropub in partnership with Ernesto Uchimura, the founding chef of Umami Burger