Many companies are teaming up for mash-up merch, the better of which evoke a sense of playfulness, such as Herschel's latest collab with Heinz on ketchup-themed luggage.

With the festive season approaching, my inbox is bombarded with hundreds of messages pushing everything from seasonal candles to experimental detox programs. To break through the noise (and the sheer volume of messages), brands need to offer something truly unique, exceptional or downright weird.

The latter may be one of the reasons so many companies are teaming up for mash-up merch. The better of these collaborations evoke a sense of playfulness, not unlike those viral social media photos of unlikely animal pairings (This baby orangutan is friends with a tiger cub! ).

The worst ones come across as clueless marketing

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