One brand may be iconic in sports, the other in fashion. One’s specialty might be  consumer goods, while the other may have a more niche market. This  is where using each other’s strengths to boost each other as brands comes in. Apart from these things, a combined budget and resources will benefit both. We’ve seen it done by H&M x Lanvin, Uniqlo x Jil Sander, Nike x Off-White, and many other brands.

Zooming in locally, let’s take a look at this example. Uniqlo is a master at making itself more Filipino, with its localized marketing efforts and partnerships. One interesting effort is the one they made with Papemelroti—an established Pinoy brand that started as a small gift shop in the 60s. Papemelroti focuses on gift items and decorative accessories like bookmarks, stationery, notebooks, framed artwork, and the like. Last 2020, Uniqlo x Papemelroti collaborated for a UT collection featuring art by the latter’s designer Robert Alejandro, and other Filipino artists Liza Flores, and Abi Goy. The theme focused on capturing the Filipino Christmas, something ingrained in Pinoy culture.

This collaboration works for a market looking for gifts and collectibles rooted in our country’s spirit — but with a modern twist. Combined with their other efforts, this makes Uniqlo’s local affinity stronger. For Papemelroti, on the other hand, this is a way to make the brand more current and relevant to more modern buyers.