The year 2020 has redefined celebrity brand collaborations and transformed them into authentic partnerships consumers can trust.

While many celebrity collaborations with big-name brands offer a sense of creative control over their campaigns, rarely do brands tend to strike gold for a balanced alliance.

However, this year, several high-profile collaborations amassed viral attention from the masses for their genius matchups – from luxury clothing brands to the biggest in gaming tech.

Check out the below list of brand collaborations that got it right this year:

Desus & Mero x Timberland

As Bronx natives who have been longtime fans of the Timberland brand, the “Desus & Mero” duo finally secured their dream brand collaboration for what has been “a lifetime in the making,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. The collaboration pays homage to their Bronx roots and Timberland culture in New York as a whole.

In regards to the brand’s relationship with the late-night TV stars, Drieke Leenknegt — Timberland’s VP of Global Marketing — said, “Desus and Mero embody that same authenticity and we couldn’t be more excited for them to interpret their creative vision in a way only they know how and give back to the local Bronx community all at the same time.”

Desus & Mero x Pepsi

The coronavirus pandemic has put a huge burden on local businesses across the U.S., especially neighborhood corner stores that have struggled to keep their doors open.

So this holiday season, Hip-Hop Wired reports that SHOWTIME late night stars Desus Nice and The Kid Mero teamed up with Pepsi to give back and show their appreciation to local bodegas in their hometown, the Bronx, in what has been dubbed “The Bodega Giveback.”

Dipset x KITH & Nike x New York Knicks

Streetwear brand KITH created a groundbreaking moment with their latest collaboration to unveil the new City Edition uniform for the NBA’s New York Knicks by way of a surprise performance from homegrown hip-hop group Dipset.

The Harlem legends — Cam’ron, Jim Jones, and Juelz Santana — graced center court of Madison Square Garden to deliver a lyrical freestyle about their love for basketball, hip-hop, and most importantly New York City.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Kith (@kith)

Kerby Jean-Raymond x Reebok

Pyer Moss designer Kerby Jean-Raymond was recently named the new global creative director at Reebok, securing a longtime partnership that was naturally meant to be.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Kerby Jean-Raymond (@kerbito)


Jean-Raymond originally teamed up with Reebok back in 2017 to co-create an inaugural collection. From there, their relationship grew into an ongoing partnership that spawned several collections and sneakers, so it was only right that the two seal the deal with an honorable position.

Travis Scott x Playstation

Hip-hop rockstar Travis Scott has been identified as one of the biggest artists in the music industry who’s become a master of brand collaborations to support his super-brand. To add to his business portfolio, Scott recently joined gaming giant Playstation as a strategic creative partner to unveil a number of yet-to-be-announced initiatives.

Scott has been no stranger to the gaming world this year. He monopolized his golden opportunity to be a playmaker in the industry and managed to merge his interests together for the perfect collaboration.

Kanye West x Gap

Back in June, hip-hop billionaire, Kanye West announced that he, along with his brand, YEEZY, struck up a 10-year partnership deal with retail brand Gap. West described the new collaboration as a full-circle moment for him as he previously worked in a Gap store as a teenager in Chicago.

West also celebrated the new partnership with the release of his “long lost” music video for “Spaceship,” a track off his 2004 debut album “The College Dropout” which references his time working at Gap.

Alicia Keys x MasterClass

Last month, Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter Alicia Keys announced a special partnership with streaming platform MasterClass in which she would host her own digital songwriting course.

As someone who takes pride in her musicianship, Keys was just the person to kick off this online crash course in music. Just as her peers helped her become the artist she is today, she’s using her musical capabilities to do the same for other aspiring artists.

Megan Thee Stallion x Fashion Nova

Houston rapper Megan Thee Stallion chose the perfect moment to announce her collaboration with Fashion Nova to help roll out her debut album, “Good News.” Megan played a role in helping craft this Western-style collection specifically for her curvy and tall “stallion” fans to reflect the clothes that she would wear.

The collaborative collection proved to be quite a success raking in $1.2 million in just 24 hours of debuting.

Cardi B x Reebok

Rapper Cardi B and Reebok announced their official partnership back in 2018 and released their first collection early last month. As a sportswear brand that has built itself on nonconformity, Reebok chose Cardi B specifically to represent what they stand for stating, “Everything that you love about Cardi is what you love about Reebok.”

The brand continued its statement sharing that “Cardi isn’t just a world-class entertainer. She’s a mother, a style icon, a pop culture magnet and — above all else — a fearless individual. She’s broken every mold that superstars are supposed to fit into — and she’s reached the top by following nobody’s path but her own.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Reebok (@reebok)

Teyana Taylor x PrettyLittleThing

Teyana Taylor recently announced her departure from music but followed up by revealing her partnership with U.K. fashion retailer PrettyLittleThing. The brand named Taylor as its newest creative director, where she’ll help build up the reputation that already exists.

Taylor, who’s known for being a free creative spirit, chose this as a new entrepreneurial venture to explore her other talents. In regards to this new move, she told People, “I’m at a place where no one can put me in a box. They can’t tell me I can only do one thing. I do whatever I put my mind to and succeed at it.”