Brand spillover: The hidden brand effect behind artist collaborations
The brand strategy behind collabs.
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Let’s dive into today’s topic:
Brand spillover: The hidden brand effect behind artist collaborations
When artists collaborate, they don’t just share audiences: They share their brands.
Why it matters
Growing fanbases in the music industry is a constant game of strategising collaborations with other brands. For example:
Artists collaborating with fellow artists.
Artists signing at a label.
Artists playing at a music venue or club.
Artists landing a brand partnerships.
Artists wearing certain brands.
Each of these moments connects artists with new fans within their target scene. Fans “spill over” from one fanbase to the other. But exposure is only half the story.
Every collaboration also transfers meaning. A little of one brand’s reputation, energy, or credibility seeps into the other. They spill over their symbolism. Each carries associations that rub off on whoever stands next to them. Psychologists call this the brand spillover effect.
How it works
Brand spillover explains how meaning transfers between brands when they appear together. The theory is grounded in information integration theory (Anderson, 1981), which says people don’t see new information in isolation, but blend it with what they already know and believe.
When two brands appear together; like a rapper wearing a fashion label, a DJ playing a festival, or two artists on one track; audiences merge their impressions of both. That creates a shared identity.
Simonin and Ruth (1998) tested this through what they called “brand alliances”. When people see two brands together, their feelings about the partnership directly shape how they view each brand. If the alliance is perceived positively, both brands rise. If it feels awkward or mismatched, both can take a hit. Or, as the authors put it, “brands are known by the company they keep” (Simonin & Ruth, 1998).
The same dynamic plays out in music. An emerging artist gains credibility from a respected collaborator. A mainstream act earns underground edge by teaming up with an indie name. Familiar brands transfer trust and recognition; lesser-known names bring novelty and energy. Each affects how the other is perceived.
The mechanism is emotional rather than logical. Our brains build shortcuts. Suppose Artist A perceives as authentic and Artist B appears alongside A. In that case, B must share some of that authenticity. The collaboration becomes a mental bridge between two symbolic worlds.
When that emotional logic clicks, the spillover strengthens both brands. When it doesn’t, fans can sense it immediately. That’s why some collaborations feel natural and others like PR.
Yes, but..
One of the key learnings here is that audiences connect dots faster than artists can explain them. From a marketing perspective, successful collabs are more about brand fit than artistic and creative fit.
But luckily, we work in music. The rules are different here. Creativity and artistry always come first. When artists and creative brands focus on making something genuinely interesting, the branding often takes care of itself. Never underestimate the marketing power of simply creating something cool.
Take action now
Artists could create a wishlist of artists and brands they’d like to collaborate with for their meaning. They should consider which emotions or values they’d want to spill over into their own image. It’s a simple exercise that reveals which future collaborations could build an artist’s brand.
Your thoughts
Further reading
Simonin, B. L., & Ruth, J. A. (1998). Is a Company Known by the Company it Keeps? Assessing the Spillover Effects of Brand Alliances on Consumer Brand Attitudes. Journal of Marketing Research, 35(1), 30–42. (full-text)
Anderson, N. H. (1981). Foundations of Information Integration Theory.
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