AUCKLAND, Today: Tracksuit, the brand tracking platform reshaping how marketers measure impact, has partnered with Bimma Williams, founder of Bimma Collab Consultancy and known as The Voice of Collabs, to release the 2025 Collab of the Year report blending consumer data with cultural insight.
As collabs keep dominating marketing, many brands still struggle to get them right. The study mixes insights from over 2,000 U.S. consumers with input from Bimma’s Collab Cousins to show why the top 2025 sneaker collabs were both true and surprising.
Tracksuit and Bimma built the COLLAB Index to measure cultural and commercial impact using consumer data and expert evaluation to explain what people felt and why it mattered.
The Index scores each collab across Chemistry, Originality, Legacy, Leadership, Audience Engagement, and Brand Energy.
The findings showed one formula for success: Truth + Surprise. Truth alone feels safe, surprise alone feels gimmicky, but together they create real momentum.
The data also proved that specificity beats scale. The strongest partnerships created intensity with the right audience, not broad reach for everyone.
“Sneakers combine design, identity and storytelling, making them a strong measure of what drives both hype and long-term brand equity.” – Bimma Williams, founder of Bimma Collab Consultancy
For the report, this framework was applied to sneaker culture, which has shaped brand collaboration since the Jordan era. Sneakers remain a live test of identity, storytelling, and connection.
“Sneakers combine design, identity and storytelling, making them a strong measure of what drives both hype and long-term brand equity,” said Bimma. “Every drop is a live test of how a brand shows up in culture and what truly connects with audiences.”
Key insights showed relevance over reach. Nigel Sylvester × Jordan 4 “Brick by Brick” had just 4% general awareness but 67% among people familiar with both sides of the collab. A’ja Wilson × Nike “A’One” resonated strongly with women and Black consumers, proving community-led design drives momentum.
“The strongest collaborations don’t chase virality. They build meaning,” said Matt Herbert. “When brands design for the right audience with the right partner, they create depth instead of noise.”
The report makes one thing clear: collabs win when they prioritise resonance over reach. Serving passionate communities with intention creates far more value than chasing mass appeal.
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