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Marketing may not be a math-heavy field, but there sure are a lot of Xs.<\/p>\n
From Chili\u2019s x Tecovas to Wicked: For Good<\/em> x just about any brand you can think of, 2025 was filled to the brim with collabs. It\u2019s no secret that marketers love a crossover moment, but do they always land?<\/p>\nWe\u2019re breaking down the best, worst, and downright cringiest brand partnerships we saw this year.<\/p>\n
The good<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Chipotle and Wonderskin\u2019s \u201cLipotle\u201d lip stain may go on green, but the reddish tint it leaves was enough for customers to clamor for it and sell it out for the second year in a row.<\/li>\n
- Well, that\u2019s one way to repurpose vinyl seating: Chili\u2019s partnered with cowboy-boot brand Tecovas to sell $345 \u201cBooth Boots,\u201d which were apparently so popular, they\u2019re now reselling on eBay for anywhere from *checks notes* $1,900 to $50,000.<\/li>\n
- Glossier partnered with Magnolia Bakery to create a lip balm based on its signature banana pudding. With the addition of a banana-charm keychain, it feels like this helped spur the phone\/keys\/wallet trend.<\/li>\n
- There\u2019s something satisfying about looking at the Haribo gummy-bear Crocs, even if not everyone\u2019s spouse agrees.<\/li>\n
- Burger King\u2019s SpongeBob<\/em> menu only makes sense for a brand that sells burgers\u2014even if they\u2019re not Pretty Patties.<\/li>\n
- White Castle teamed up with OxiClean to create a cleanup kit for drive-thru orders, including a \u201clapkin\u201d and stain-release spray, which deserves points for practicality.<\/li>\n
- Bath & Body Works is known for its range of sweet-smelling products, so partnering with Milk Bar, which sells arguably some of the sweetest baked goods on the market, only made sense for its clientele.<\/li>\n
- Coffee brand Four Sigmatic sells mushroom-infused coffee, so its partnership with HBO\u2019s fungal zombie apocalypse show The Last of Us<\/em> on a cordyceps blend really grew on us.<\/li>\n
- For the last season of Stranger Things<\/em>, Benetton released a line of \u201980s-inspired clothes that honestly exceeded our expectations of what merch looks like these days, both in quality and subtlety. Here\u2019s to matching a character rather than wearing their face.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The bad<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- At this point, we know the name of the game is attention at all costs, but did we really need mac-and-cheese lip balm from Panera and Holler and Glow?<\/li>\n
- Similarly, we\u2019re just not sure there\u2019s a need for caffeinated hot sauce, contrary to this year\u2019s latest Taco John\u2019s and 5-Hour Energy collab.<\/li>\n
- Erewhon smoothies are all the rage, but if Instagram comments mean anything, the Boka x Erewhon Mint Condition Smile Smoothie was one to skip if you\u2019re not interested in sipping on toothpaste.<\/li>\n
- There\u2019s some originality in the Chipotle x Urban Outfitters dorm collection, but ultimately, if we walked into a room and saw that brown bean-bag chair and that green duvet, we\u2019d probably just think the occupant was a Shrek<\/em> fanatic.<\/li>\n
- Ice cream brand Van Leeuwen is no stranger to a weird flavor (remember its Hidden Valley Ranch collab?) and unfortunately for all of us, its lineup now includes \u201csunscreen\u201d in collaboration with Carnival Cruise Line. While we\u2019re not sure how the coconut flavor tastes, the two brands said they\u2019d release it to the public if it got enough love on social media, and so far, we haven\u2019t seen any updates.<\/li>\n
- While there were high hopes for the NikeSkims collab, the combination of mixed reviews and a fizzled roll-out has us wondering whether these two brands are better off consciously uncoupling.<\/li>\n
- International Delight created a line of coffee creamers for the Netflix show Love is Blind<\/em>, but given the contestants\u2019 high divorce rate, we\u2019re not sure if that Wedding Cake flavor tastes very sweet.<\/li>\n
- While not exactly a brand collab, we\u2019re counting Sydney Sweeney as her own brand because let\u2019s face it, she kind of is one at this point. And her work with Dr. Squatch on her own bathwater-infused soap was one that made us question a lot of things (and people).<\/li>\n
- There were more than 400 Wicked: For Good<\/em>-themed brand collabs this year, and while some, like Wicked<\/em> x Build-a-Bear, were certainly fun, we must ask: Was anyone changed for the better after buying Wicked<\/em>-themed dishwasher pods, or 10 different water bottles?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The ugly<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Hollister\u2019s Taco Bell line promises to take outfits from \u201cmild to fire,\u201d but we\u2019re not sure sweatpants with sauce flavors in the style of the baby-name chalkboard list meme is gonna do all that.<\/li>\n
- The $150+ Issey Miyake x Apple iPhone Pocket. Just cut a long sock and call it good.<\/li>\n
- While some Stranger Things<\/em> collabs may have worked for us, others, like the Williams Sonoma spatula, left us wondering: who actually wants that displayed in their kitchen? Or, worse yet, their garage? Owners of the Stranger Things<\/em> Fiat, please come forward. We have questions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n