An interesting master thesis was written about Co-branding at the University of Lund/Sweden. The study was published by VDM Verlag and is available on Amazon. You find a summary of the thesis below. For further information, contact the study’s authors Antonia Kohlbrenner antonia.kohlbrenner (AT) googlemail.com or Natalia Dorozala n.dorozala (AT) googlemail.com.

Title: “Co-Branding as a Tool for Strategic Brand Activation - How to Find the Ideal Partner. An Explanatory Case Study in the Fashion and Design Sector”

Authors: Natalia Dorozala and Antonia Kohlbrenner
Type of publication: Master thesis
University: School of Economic and Management, Lund University/Sweden
Publication Date: May 30, 2008
Methodology: Multiple Case Study - Interviews with expert consultants and company representatives (adidas, BMW, BMW MINI, Diesel, H&M, Opel, Philips, Sharp, Volkswagen, Noshokaty, Döring & Thun)
Keywords: Brand Building and Brand Activation, Relationship Marketing, Strategic Alliances, Affinity Partnering, Co-Branding, Consumer-Brand Relationships

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the interdependencies within the process of partner selection in the fashion and design sector and the emanating criteria for finding the ideal co-branding partner in order to use co-branding as a strategic brand activation tool. The study results showed that partner selection depends decisively on the different co-branding aims and incorporates the crucial step when using co-branding as a tool for strategic brand activation. The co-branding aim and the corresponding partner lead to various types of relationships, which, in this study, are anthropomorphized to connect the world of marketing and branding to real life. Fashion and design brands have proven to be particularly eligible as co-branding partners for brand activation due to their innovative and trend-oriented nature.