The manufacturing giants once kept the innovation in marketing minimal, viewing any partnerships as a potential conflict of interests. With an industry market of competitiveness and secrecy, collaboration was a faux pas word that was not utilized during strategy meetings. However, without collaboration marketing, one company can only accomplish so much.

The analogy is simple. One man, regardless of how strong and bulky his muscles are, cannot move a boulder as efficiently as a team of people. It is only through collaboration that companies can overcome market boulders to fully penetrate their target audience.

Take the famous “Got Milk?” campaign as a great example of the power of collaboration marketing. Through key partnerships, the milk industry capitalized upon the branding and strength of other companies and industries – to massively penetrate consumer psychology. Instead of viewing marketing as an individual effort, the “Got Milk?” campaign teamed up with Oreos, Hershey’s, Girl Scouts of America, Barbie, and even the Cookie Monster. This multi-faceted campaign no only increased the marketing efforts of all the collaboration partners, but also allowed milk to capitalize upon the identification of each product’s client base.

The key to utilizing collaboration marketing effectively is to think outside of the box, pursuing relationships that are creatively compatible. For example, Apple iPods and Swarovski crystals would make a very effective collaboration marketing partnerships; while in completely different industries with varying target audiences, this collaboration would effectively boost the market presence of both companies – resulting in greater sales.

It is not necessarily an easy feat to develop, strategize, and negotiate a collaboration marketing strategy. Often, an independent third party strategist is an effective partner in bringing together companies that will lift each other’s sales and market penetration.