Starbucks, Swatch, and Thom Browne's Commonality... 'Collaboration Geniuses' Cheered by MZ Generation

BLACKPINK, Swatch, Starbucks·Stanley, etc.
From Luxury Goods to Tumblers, Open-Run Targets
Experts Say "Scarcity of Collaboration Products is Key"

On September 14 last year, the alleyways of Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, were lined with long queues of 'hip' young people from all over the world. The reason they stood in front of the alley day and night was simple. They wanted to buy the 'electric bicycle' created through a collaboration between the group BLACKPINK and the world-renowned graphic designer Verdy.

An electric bicycle designed directly by Verdi, priced at 7 million won. The 10 units prepared in advance sold out in just one day.
[Image source=YG Plus]

It is truly the era of collaboration. When internationally acclaimed artists and brands come together, even everyday items like watches, bicycles, and tumblers become subjects of open runs and scarcity.

Artist and Designer Collaborations... Captivating the Global Community

Blackpink x Verdy Popup Store Queue and Front View
[Image Source=YG PLUS]

The collaboration between BLACKPINK and Verdy drew enthusiastic responses not only in Korea but also among young generations worldwide. At the pop-up store held in New York, USA, a month earlier than in Korea, an open run phenomenon also occurred without fail. Local media eagerly reported on the crowds of young people gathered in front of the New York pop-up store. Before New York, similar open run lines were seen in London, UK.

Swatch Leading the Open Run Craze with Luxury Brand Collaborations

Collaboration is most common in the luxury industry. In particular, the Swiss luxury watch brand Swatch Group has led the open run craze by releasing joint products with various watch brands.

MoonSwatch born from the collaboration between Omega and Swatch
[Image source=Omega]

In 2022, they hit the jackpot with the joint product 'MoonSwatch' with Omega, and last year, they released the collaboration product 'Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms' with Blancpain. This product sold out within half a day on its release day in the domestic market, September 9 last year. All stock was gone immediately after launch, to the extent that even the waiting lines disappeared.

Fashion brand Thom Browne also scored big for both companies with an edition collaborated with Galaxy. In September last year, 110,000 people applied for the limited edition 'Galaxy Z Fold5 Thom Browne Edition' by Samsung Electronics through a lottery sale.

Even Everyday Items... Scarcity When Paired with the Right Collaboration Partner

Everyday items are also targets for collaboration. On the 5th (local time), Starbucks in the United States released a special limited tumbler in collaboration with the tumbler brand Stanley. Founded in 1913, Stanley is an American artisan company that has been producing tumblers to this day and has recently gained popularity among local young generations.

[Image source= eBay, TikTok capture]

In this context, Starbucks created an explosive response by releasing a pink tumbler in collaboration with Stanley. As soon as it was released, almost all Starbucks stores had open run lines from early morning, and disputes even broke out among customers competing to get the few remaining tumblers.

As the scarcity intensified, tumbler prices surged on resale platforms. On auction sites, Starbucks limited edition tumblers were listed at prices ten times higher than the retail price.

"Collaboration is a Marketing Strategy that Enhances Scarcity"

So why do some collaboration products provoke such explosive reactions among consumers? Experts focus on the 'synergy' created when brands with established fame and unique identities come together.

Professor Eunhee Lee of Inha University's Department of Consumer Studies explained, "Ultimately, collaboration products are a marketing strategy that enhances scarcity. For example, in Starbucks' case, when will a famous coffee shop collaborate again with a tumbler specialist maker? The more unique the collaboration, the stronger the scarcity becomes, stimulating consumers' desire to collect."

She added, "Simply releasing a collaboration product by a famous brand cannot induce enthusiastic reactions. It is important that two brands with symbolic popularity combine to create scarcity that everyone wants to own."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.