The Value of Marketing Collaborations

Tips from a seasoned communications pro to increase brand credibility and reach new audiences.

7.30.2026

At 5 by 5 Design we believe it’s possible to change the world by posing the right questions, listening to the honest answers, and following the path that emerges from the dialogue. Today’s discussion focuses on using collaboration in your branding and marketing efforts.

Dominique Francisco is a strategic communications and public relations leader with experience leading communications, marketing, and stakeholder engagement across Fortune 500 organizations, including Procter & Gamble, political campaigns, nonprofit organizations, and faith-based institutions. She serves as Director of Marketing and Public Relations for United Women in Faith and Director of Community Engagement for Chosen Ministries in Cincinnati, OH, where she leads strategic partnerships, community initiatives, and communications that strengthen relationships across the faith, nonprofit, philanthropic, and civic sectors.

Dominique is also the founder of Cisco Consulting Firm, where she helps organizations, campaigns, and community leaders build authentic brands, strengthen public trust, and create collaborations that drive lasting community impact. She is especially passionate about helping faith leaders and ministries communicate with clarity, strengthen their brand presence, and use strategic marketing to expand their reach and advance their mission.

We’ve asked Dominque a series of questions about how organizations can make collaboration part of their marketing strategy. Here’s what she had to say.  

1. Why are brands today investing more in collaborations, like partnerships, sponsorships, influencers, and endorsements?

Think about McDonald’s collaborations. Whether it was the Travis Scott Meal, Saweetie, Cardi B and Offset, or the Grinch Meal, McDonald’s turned a simple menu item into a cultural moment. They weren’t selling a new burger. They were creating excitement, conversation, and giving people a reason to engage with the brand in a fresh way. I’ll admit, I was guilty of grabbing a few of these meals myself.

One thing McDonald’s has done especially well is tap into nostalgia. For many adults, Happy Meals bring back memories of childhood. Today, we’re seeing brands like McDonald’s recreate that same excitement through collaborations that feel like Happy Meals for adults. Whether it’s a celebrity meal, a movie tie-in, or a collectible promotion like the Grinch Meal, they’re tapping into the anticipation, collectability, and joy many of us remember from opening a Happy Meal as kids. That’s the power of collaboration. It creates an emotional connection that goes far beyond the product itself.

Today’s consumers are tuning out traditional advertising, but they’re paying attention to trusted voices, authentic experiences, and brands that show up in places they already know and love. The best collaborations meet people where they are by connecting with shared memories, culture, and experiences that make a brand feel relevant.

I’ve seen this play out everywhere from Procter & Gamble to political campaigns to ministry. The best partnerships don’t feel like marketing. They feel like two organizations saying, “We’re better together than we are apart.” The goal isn’t simply to borrow someone else’s audience. It’s to create something valuable that neither organization could have accomplished on its own.

At the end of the day, the strongest collaborations don’t just expand your reach. They expand your credibility, build trust, and create lasting relationships with new audiences!

2. What should brands look for when choosing a collaborator to work with?

The biggest mistake organizations make is choosing collaborators based solely on follower counts or visibility. I encourage leaders to start with values before they look at audience size.

Ask yourself:

• Do our values and priorities align?
• Does this partnership make sense to our audience?
• Will this collaboration strengthen our credibility?
• Would we still pursue this relationship even if social media didn’t exist?

I’ve built partnerships between faith leaders, elected officials, corporations, nonprofits, and community organizations. Many of them came to the table with different perspectives, but the partnerships that lasted weren’t built on popularity. They were built on a shared purpose and a genuine commitment to serving.

People can tell the difference between a genuine partnership and a publicity stunt.

The collaborations that resonate the most are simply an extension of work that’s already happening. When an organization suddenly partners with someone because it’s trending or popular, but there’s no real connection to their mission or audience, people notice.

The strongest collaborations tell a shared story. Maybe two organizations have been serving the same neighborhood for years, or they’ve been advocating for the same cause from different perspectives. When they decide to partner, it feels natural because the relationship already exists.

Promotion should be the result of authentic work together, not the reason the partnership exists.

The best collaborations don’t happen because two brands have large audiences. They happen because two organizations trust one another, bring something unique to the table, and can accomplish more together than they ever could apart.

3. How can smaller brands with limited budgets use collaboration to increase awareness and credibility?

One of the biggest misconceptions is that collaboration requires a big budget. In reality, some of the most impactful partnerships I’ve helped build didn’t involve a financial investment at all.

Smaller organizations should focus less on how much money they have and more on the relationships they’ve built. Ask yourself, “Who is already serving the audience we’re trying to reach, and how can we create something valuable together?”

That could look like:

• Cross-promoting each other’s content on social media or through newsletters
• Co-hosting a workshop, panel discussion, or community event
• Joining each other’s podcasts or webinars
• Sharing resources or educational content
• Partnering with trusted local leaders, churches, schools, or community organizations

I’ve seen this work time and time again. A church may partner with a local nonprofit to host a financial literacy workshop, or a nonprofit might invite a local business to sponsor a community wellness event. Neither organization has to carry the entire burden, but together they expand their reach, strengthen their credibility, and create a better experience for the people they’re serving.

Especially in nonprofit and faith-based work, people remember who consistently shows up for the community. When organizations become known as trusted collaborators instead of competitors, awareness and credibility grow naturally.

4. What risks are there in allowing others to have some control over your brand exposure, and how do you minimize those risks?

Every partnership comes with some level of reputational risk because when you collaborate, your brand is being associated with someone else’s.

That’s why preparation matters!

Before launching a collaboration, have the conversations that most people want to skip. Get aligned on messaging, brand guidelines, who approves content, who serves as the spokesperson, how you’ll measure success, and how you’ll respond if something doesn’t go as planned. They may not be the most exciting conversations, but they’re the ones that protect everyone involved.

I’ve learned throughout my work in corporate communications, political campaigns, nonprofit organizations, and ministry that clear communication before a partnership prevents confusion during one.

Just as important, do your homework. Make sure the organization or individual you’re partnering with shares your values, operates with integrity, and has a reputation that aligns with your brand. A collaboration might generate attention in the short term, but if your motives or missions don’t align, that attention can quickly become a liability.

The best partnerships are built on more than trust. They’re built on trust, transparency, shared values, and clear expectations from day one.

5. What trends are you seeing in brand collaborations, and where do you think things are headed next?

I believe we’re moving away from transactional influencer marketing and toward community-centered partnerships. We’re also seeing brands tap into nostalgia in powerful ways because people crave connection to experiences that feel familiar and meaningful. Even in faith spaces, we’re seeing a resurgence of “old school church” moments, especially across Black social media. Whether it’s choir robes, church mothers, testimony service, or the songs many of us grew up singing, those moments create an emotional connection that resonates across generations.

Organizations are also recognizing that influence isn’t just about audience size. It’s about trust. That’s why many brands are partnering with micro-influencers, pastors, educators, nonprofit leaders, community advocates, and local voices who have built real credibility within the communities they serve.

I’m also seeing more cross-sector collaboration. Businesses, nonprofits, faith communities, government, and civic organizations are realizing that many of today’s challenges can’t be solved alone. The strongest partnerships happen when organizations are willing to bring their unique strengths to a shared mission.

The future belongs to organizations that know how to build coalitions, not just campaigns.

The brands that will stand out won’t necessarily be the ones with the biggest marketing budgets. They’ll be the ones known for bringing the right people together, building authentic relationships, creating real transformation and lasting results, and consistently delivering value to the communities they serve.

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