What do Kim Kardashian, Stormzy and Kendrick Lamar have in common? They’re not just slapping their names on products, they’re making brands feel bigger than business.
We’re only two months into the year, and celebrities are reshaping some of the biggest names. Let’s break down three talked-about collabs of the year.
The Kardashian Effect: Can Skims Save Nike?
NikeSKIMS might be Nike’s smartest move in years.
Within 24 hours of the announcement, Nike’s share price jumped 6.2%, adding $6.7B to its market value.
Combining strengths with Nike’s athlete-tested performance gear and Skims’ dominance in female inclusivity, this collaboration isn’t just about training apparel, footwear, and accessories – it’s about Nike regaining its edge in the women’s activewear market.
There are many reasons why this collab can be considered a power move. For years, Nike has struggled – stock declines, job cuts, and rising competition from brands like On, Lululemon, and Adidas, which have been owning cultural collaborations. But NikeSKIMS is their strategic play to stay relevant, refresh their brand under new leadership, and capture a new generation of female consumers.
Love them or hate them, with all the sisters’ combined Instagram following of over 1 billion people, the Kardashian effect is real.
Stormzy’s McTakeover: A Cultural Collaboration
What do you call 9 Chicken McNuggets, fries with BBQ dips, an Oreo McFlurry or apple pie, all washed down with a Sprite Zero? That would be ‘The Stormzy Meal’ – the UK’s first-ever edition of McDonald’s ‘Famous Orders’ Campaign.
But this is more than just another celebrity-endorsed menu item.
Launched in February 2025, the campaign saw one McDonald’s in Croydon (Stormzy’s hometown) temporarily rebranded as ‘Big Mike’s’, encouraging fans to ‘Order like Stormzy.’ The campaign taps into nostalgia (because everyone has their go-to McDonald’s order), whilst aligning with an artist who embodies UK culture and homegrown success.
Stormzy is no stranger to monetising his name. From Adidas collaborations to a Stormzy Monopoly Game (where you don’t ‘Go to Jail’, you ‘Shut Up’), his partnerships are rooted in his personal brand. But the ‘Order like Stormzy’ campaign goes beyond a product push, being a social-first campaign, completed with a 2-minute film, custom packaging and personalised merch to make it feel like a cultural moment.
Of course, with every celebrity partnership comes controversy. What do you think of Big Mike x McD’s?
Kendrick Lamar x Willy Chavarria created a Halftime Statement
Inspired by the rapper’s West Coast roots, football culture, and his latest album GNX, the collection featured satin bomber jackets embroidered with the NFL logo and ‘KLamar’ (only 100 made!), alongside hoodies and T-shirts with Kendrick’s branding and GNX lyrics. That is, if you noticed – between Serena Williams, SZA, and the game itself
What makes this work? While Super Bowl merch is usually a commercial free-for-all, this collab stayed true to Lamar’s brand: scarce, intentional, and deeply personal. Just like his music, his fashion partnerships aren’t about mass appeal, they’re about meaning (plus a few messages to Drake).
If you missed out on the sold-out pieces, maybe you’ll have better luck with tickets to his GNX tour 👀
Struggling with your brand expansion? Maybe you just need a Kardashian. Otherwise, Co:cubed has our very own Serena! Heading up all things brand expansion, Serena is THE person you need to connect with: serena.martin@cocubed.com
