How I create brand collaborations with real impact
I don’t wait for brand collaborations to happen, I proactively build them, from initial outreach to final product.
Intro
Sometimes the best strategic shift is the simplest one: go where the people already are and make a difference there.
In 2024, that realization reshaped how Be the Light Campaign approached community impact and it led to our most meaningful year. Rather than waiting for people to find us, we brought mental health resources into everyday moments: a flower order, a late-night slice, an open studio on a Friday night. Within three months, we reached thousands of people across Columbus, Ohio, not through big budgets or campaigns, but through genuine partnerships and a belief that one small moment can have ripple effects on a whole life.
Community impact of two brand collaborations within three months
Jewelweed
Impact: 500+ care cards added to deliveries
Jewelweed, a local Columbus florist, already included flower care cards with every order so we asked a simple question: what if we added a note about taking care of yourself too? I connected with the owner, we decided to collaborate, and I designed and printed 500 cards that went out with their deliveries. A friend of mine received one without knowing I'd made it and that moment of unexpected connection was exactly the kind of ripple effect we were hoping for. We've been told that people kept the cards on their desks and refrigerators as a small reminder, even after the flowers were gone.
Mikey's Late Night Slice
Impact: 500 stickers & 500 coasters to share mental health resources
With Mental Health Awareness Month approaching, I reached out to Mikey's Late Night Slice, a Columbus cult-favorite pizza joint, to see if they'd want to partner to share resources during the month of May. They said yes, I designed three concepts for their team to choose from, and we landed on coasters for the bars and stickers inside the pizza boxes, each with a QR code linking to a curated resource page on our website. Learn more about the resources we created >
Franklinton Friday at
400 West Rich
Impact: Hundreds of attendees engaged with our mental health exhibit
We closed out the month with a mental health gallery exhibit and pizza party during 400 West Rich's Franklinton Friday open studios, bringing community, resources, and a little celebration together in one space. Hundreds of people walked through, engaged with the exhibit, and took home mental health resources & guides.
Lessons Learned
Two brand collaborations, simultaneously.
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Brand 1: a natural extension of our own
Brand 2: a creative stretch
LESSON 1
Decide on the visuals
Do your brand styles compliment each other or do they juxtapose one another? What common ground can you find between the brands or how do you plan using the differences that you have in a creative way?
LESSON 2
Collaboration styles
Some brands are hands-on, others hands-off. Jewelweed and I spent hours ideating and styling together, while Mikey's simply chose their favorite from my concepts. Both approaches ended in a successful result.
LESSON 3
Create design options
I've found it's best to present 2-3 ideas that push the creative in different directions. This leads to a productive conversation and keeps things fluid until a final direction is decided upon.
LESSON 4
Test and repeat
Always order samples before placing the final print order. We were in a rush to order the coasters for the Mikey's collab but had we ordered a sample first, we would have selected a different printing vendor before placing the final order. Live and learn!
LESSON 5
Discuss responsibilities upfront & document it
Set expectations early. Who does what, when, and how you'll both refer to it publicly (a collab, partnership, joint initiative, etc.).
LESSON 6
Have fun with it!
Collaborations can produce some of the best content because you can push your brand limits & engage with another company’s followers.
Jewelweed collab in action
Jewelweed x Be the Light Campaign | Photos from our collaboration
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