When you think about successful business partnerships, you might naturally consider brands that have something in common. For example, TOMS Shoes was created because the founder wanted to help give shoes to kids in need. As a result, for each pair of shoes sold, TOMS Shoes donates a pair of new shoes to a child through the One for One model. This pairing is not only wonderful, the concept of a shoe company donating shoes also inherently makes sense.

In addition to logical pairings, there are also a number of unique and creative partnerships that take place in the business world. In many cases, these odd couples may seem incompatible at first, but when they pair up, magical things start to happen for both of them. For example, check out these “Felix and Oscar” combos of the business world:

LifeLock and Folds of Honor

LifeLock, a company that offers identity theft protection services to people and businesses, has a number of strategic partnerships including one with Folds of Honor, an organization that is dedicated to providing post-secondary education scholarships for students from families of disabled or fallen soldiers. Through the mutually beneficial partnership, LifeLock has the opportunity to teach military families about how identity theft can impact those who are serving overseas, and Folds of Honor not only receives money from LifeLock for the scholarships, but is also the focus of a number of radio ads created by LifeLock.

Ford Motor Company and Domino’s Pizza

Ford Motor Company and Domino’s Pizza have struck an interesting partnership: testing a pizza delivery service in the Ann Arbor, Michigan area in a Ford Fusion car that features self-driving technology. Customers can track their pepperoni and mushroom pizza through GPS, and Ford gets to test out this innovative vehicle technology in a very real-world scenario.

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LEGO and NASA

When you think about NASA, you might envision scientists collaborating with major universities and research firms, not a Danish toy company famous for making interlocking plastic bricks. But back in 2010, the two joined forces to encourage creative thinking in aerospace designs with the Design and Build competitions. To this day, LEGO sells a number of NASA-inspired sets, like the popular Women of NASA set and NASA Apollo Saturn V. Talk about a win-win partnership–kids can be inspired to learn more about NASA and the work that they do when they build these sets, and NASA can branch out from the world of science into a famous family-friendly toy company, thus making its image seem more approachable.

Louis Vuitton and BMW

The French design house and German car manufacturer are not an obvious couple in the branding world. While they do share some things in common–for instance, both companies are known for their luxurious craftsmanship and high price tags–you wouldn’t necessarily think of the two companies pairing up. Louis Vuitton designed an exclusive four-piece set of suitcases and bags that fit perfectly into the BMW i8 in its real parcel shelf. Through this pairing, the two companies can capitalize on their desire to help travel be as easy as possible, and both BMW and Louis Vuitton can help advertise for the other–it’s a classic “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” scenario.

Felix and Oscar Made it Work–These Companies Can Too

It’s interesting to know that business owners are willing to think outside of the typical branding box to pair up with other companies that may not seem to be a logical fit. From an ID theft protection company helping a great organization and vice versa to a toy company teaming up with an aerospace government agency and other pairings, it’s clear to see that odd couples really can make great marketing bedfellows.

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This article is published by Will Sherwood | The Sherwood Group |Website Design | Graphic Design | Marketing Communications: The Sherwood Group has over 30 years of experience working with all sorts of companies, small and large. Our clients range from entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 firms, in nearly every business sector, from across the street to around the world (and yes, even Europe, China, and South America). Our goal is to create advertising,  graphic design, website design, and marketing communication that still looks fresh and relevant 10-15 years later. Our mission is to stir your imagination and leave your competition shaken and wondering,  Now what do we do?”  We are located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

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