The Best Brand Partnerships from H2 2025
Written by Lee Metters on 7 minute read
With H2 2025 bringing several innovative band partnerships into the mix, Awin’s Lee Metters overviews his favorites.
Brand partnerships are no longer just about logo placements. They're cultural moments that spark conversation, produce genuinely brilliant products, and redefine what collaboration looks like.
From Greggs meeting KFC gravy to Netflix tapping Amazon's ad infrastructure, the second half of 2025 has delivered some of the boldest, most unexpected tie-ups yet. These partnerships blend humor, innovation, and strategic ambition to great effect.
Here are some of my recent favorites. And if you’d like to activate brand partnerships on Awin, be sure to reach out to our team.
Greggs x KFC create a limited-time comfort food collaboration.
Two fast food legends teamed up for a limited-time comfort food collab. Greggs sausage rolls served with KFC gravy, anyone?
The ‘Gravy Meets Pastry’ campaign launched with a three-day event on August 7 at London’s South Bank. A convoy of vans handed out Greggs sausage rolls with a side of KFC gravy before travelling north to Manchester and Newcastle for a repeat.
Fans in London, Manchester, Newcastle, and Birmingham were also able to order limited-edition sharing buckets on Uber Eats, including six Greggs sausage rolls and a large tub of KFC Gravy, all packaged in a co-branded box.
Why it works
This partnership taps into pure consumer love. Brits reportedly consume over a million Greggs Sausage Rolls and 15,000 liters of KFC gravy daily. What a combination.
Heinz answers the question: ‘Is ketchup a smoothie?’
It’s was a summer of unusual food trends. Remember when Marks & Spencer introduced strawberries and cream sandwiches for Wimbledon!? Not to be outdone, Heinz followed up by launching a ketchup-flavored smoothie.
That’s right: Heinz partnered with Smoothie King to launch a tomato ketchup smoothie in select US cities from August 6.
Why it works
Taste-wise, I get the feeling some people will have some choice opinions over this one. But as a brand partnership with the potential to elevate awareness on both sides, it’s a masterstroke.
It’s part tongue-in-cheek, part trend play. People had been joking online that “if tomatoes are fruit, ketchup must be a smoothie.” Heinz decided to make it real, blending fruit with its signature ketchup for a chilled drink.
Crocs launches a customizable smartphone case with SLBS
Turns out Crocs aren’t just for your feet.
In a collab with Seoul-based techwear label SLBS, Crocs took its instantly recognizable foam clog design and reimagined it for your smartphone. The new customizable cases feature the brand’s signature perforations and, of course, the ability to add Jibbitz charms.
The line initially launched exclusively for Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra users, but following strong demand, Crocs launched it for iPhones, too.
Why it works
The move feels like a smart blend of fashion, function, and pop culture, tapping into Crocs’ reputation for self-expression.
The cases are available now on SLBS with international shipping, so fans around the world can rep Crocs all day long.
Gymshark enters the footwear market with R.A.D
Gymshark has finally made the jump from apparel to footwear, teaming up with UK performance brand R.A.D for its debut shoe collection.
The limited-edition drop includes R.A.D’s ONE V2 and R-1 models, refreshed in Gymshark’s signature muted color palette, which went live on September 10 at gymshark.com.
Why it works
This is a big moment for Gymshark. Fans have been asking for years when the brand would enter the footwear space, and now it's done it by simultaneously leveraging R.A.D’s brand capital.
Founded in 2022, R.A.D has already built a cult following in the UK and US thanks to its high-performance shoes designed by ex-Nike and adidas creators. Its first ever product, the R.A.D ONE, sold out in minutes, so expect these Gymshark editions to move fast.
Trolli and Mountain Dew go sour-sweet together
Sour candy meets soda in one of the sweetest crossovers this year. Trolli, the gummy brand, has teamed up with Mountain Dew for a flavor-packed collaboration that brings its products to life in both candy and drink form.
Fans can now try Trolli x Mountain Dew Sour Brite Crawlers alongside a Mountain Dew Zero Sugar x Trolli Cherry Lemon. It’s tangy, sweet, chewy and refreshing all in one.
Why it works
The move plays right into Gen Z’s love of boundary-pushing and unexpected collabs, and positions both brands as fearless when it comes to experimenting with flavor and format.
Netflix turns to Amazon to make its ads easier to buy
The streaming wars might still be raging, but when it comes to ads, Netflix and Amazon are finding common ground. Starting in Q4, Netflix started selling its ad inventory in 12 markets (including the UK and US) through Amazon’s demand-side platform, making it easier for brands to buy and target across the streaming platform.
Why it works
It’s a big win for advertisers, giving them access to Netflix’s highly engaged global audience and Amazon’s advanced programmatic tools. For Amazon, it cements its role as the behind-the-scenes infrastructure of streaming ads, with Disney, NBCU and now Netflix all relying on its rails.
Lululemon converts deal with all 32 NFL teams
Lululemon announced a major partnership with the NFL to launch a collection of men’s and women’s clothing and accessories for all 32 teams.
The range will be available via the NFL’s online store, team shops, and Fanatics.com, marking one of lululemon’s most significant sports licensing deals to date.
Why it works
With the NFL averaging over 18 million viewers a week, the tie-up gives lululemon a powerful entry point to reach new fans and expand its footprint across America’s biggest sport.
Gut health hits the Joe & the Juice menu
Joe & the Juice teamed up with Biotiful Gut Health to launch Trust Your Gut, a kefir-powered smoothie now rolling out across 80 UK stores.
Why it works
For Biotiful, which has built its reputation as the UK’s go-to kefir brand, this is a big step into the out-of-home space. For Joe & The Juice, it taps into one of the fastest-growing wellness trends, gut health, and delivers a functional product that still fits its cool, lifestyle-led positioning.
Here We Flo x Chelsea FC Women put periods front and center
Period care brand Here We Flo announced a major partnership with Chelsea FC Women as the club’s back-of-short sponsor for the 2025/26 season. The partnership has already made headlines. To kick off the WSL season, players walked out in shorts marked with fake period stains.
Why it works
This is more than a sponsorship. It’s a cultural statement.
By aligning with major female athletes, Here We Flo is pushing the conversation around period stigma into mainstream sport. It’s bold, disruptive, and it challenges both the sporting world and brands more widely to rethink how women’s health is represented.
Red Bull brings McDonald’s onto the F1 circuit
Finally, Red Bull Racing signed a landmark deal with McDonald’s, bringing the fast-food giant’s iconic golden arches onto an F1 car for the first time.
The partnership debuted at the Sao Paulo GP and forms part of a wider collaboration with Red Bull products set to feature in select McDonald’s locations across Brazil.
Why it works
It builds off an existing collaboration. The origins of the partnership date back to 2024, when then-driver Sergio Perez’s personal McDonald’s sponsorship helped spark the relationship between the two brands.