Why Collab Connection Exists...

And Why We’re Asking Different Questions About Collaboration

There’s no shortage of content about brand collaborations.

Every week someone breaks down what launched, what sold out, what went viral, and what brands should copy next.

That’s fine.

But it skips the only question we really care about:

Did this collaboration have a real reason to exist?

That question is why Collab Connection exists.

We’re Not Grading Collaborations. We’re Interpreting Them.

Most coverage of collaborations falls into three buckets:

Here’s what happened.

Here’s why it worked.

Here’s how to copy it.

We’re not interested in copying.

We’re interested in understanding.

Not “Did it perform?” But “Did it belong?”

Performance can be engineered. Belonging has to be earned.

That’s the lens.

The Breakthrough That Changed Everything

We realized something simple:

Real connection doesn’t introduce itself with a press release.

It shows up with ease. With instant recognition. With momentum.

When a collaboration truly connects, you don’t need a case study to justify it.

You don’t need to explain it

You don’t overthink it.

It just feels right

And that feeling isn’t fluff.

It’s data.

It’s a signal.

Episode One in Action

In our first episode, we unpacked Coors × Wrangler and Brixton.

Same brand. Two very different types of connection.

Coors × Wrangler worked because it felt inevitable. Two brands rooted in Americana and workwear culture stepping into the same room like they’d always been there.

No overreach. No apology. No explanation required.

Coors × Brixton opened a new lane. It didn’t trade identity for relevance. It extended it.

Instead of asking, “Why is Coors here?” people wondered, “What’s next?”

That’s momentum. That’s permission. That's the connection!

We weren’t debating which was better. We were paying attention to where connection showed up and what kind of future each collaboration created.

Why This Conversation Matters to Us

There’s another reason this show exists.

We both come from the promotional marketing and branded merchandise world. And too often, as Lauren reminded me, that space gets treated like a checkbox instead of what it actually is: a powerful marketing medium.

Too often the questions surrounding branded merch sound like:

What should we put our logo on?

What’s new, what’s trending?

What’s the cheapest way to get something in people’s hands?

Those questions shrink the opportunity to connect. There are better questions to ask that will expand the chance for an emotional connection:

What do we want people to feel?

What role does this brand play in their life?

What object actually belongs in that story?

Lauren said it perfectly:

“When branded merchandise works, it doesn’t feel like a giveaway. It feels like a brand entering someone’s daily life in a way that makes sense.”

That’s not swag. 

That’s storytelling.

Then Lauren put it even more directly in our follow up meeting after launching episode one:

“Our industry has a massive opportunity. Not just to produce items, but to help brands think more clearly, more creatively, and more intentionally about connection.”

That’s the real work!

Because branded merchandise isn’t just a promotional expense. It can be culture. It can create memories. It can be part of someone’s routine.

That’s collaboration, too.

The Recipe We’re Sharing

Collab Connection isn’t a scorecard. It’s not a brand hype reel.

It’s a way of seeing.

Before the budget gets approved. Before samples are ordered. Before the team says yes because the timeline is tight.

We slow it down.

Does this belong? Does it feel earned? Does it move the story forward? Or are we just adding noise? The real value of connection isn’t performance.

It’s alignment.

It’s belonging.

It’s a brand entering the room without forcing its way in.

Once you learn to spot that, you can’t unsee it.

And that’s why we keep coming back to this:

Connection isn’t measured.

It’s revealed.

Not louder.

Not faster.

Just clearer.

Episode One Is Live

We break down Coors × Wrangler and Brixton without hype or hero worship.

Just real talk. Real signals. Real connection.

WATCH EPISODE ONE... HIT PLAY HERE!

And we hope you’ll never look at collaborations the same way again.

P.S. Episode 2 is on its way with a special guest!