Odessa Johnsen-Dearing of Key & Crow Studios and Mary Cirino of UltraInfinite are successful artists and crowdfunding creators. They’ve both launched multiple campaigns and have grown dedicated followings over the years. To celebrate Pride Month, they both decided to launch Pride-themed enamel pin campaigns on BackerKit: Foxwright Apothecary: Pride Potions and Pride Angels.

But instead of flying solo, they teamed up for a BackerKit Cross-Collab. This meant that they would not only be launching individual enamel pin collections, but they’d also be collaborating on a reward for backers who supported both projects if both projects successfully fund.

The result? Key & Crow Studios and UltraInfinite saw a wave of new fans who propelled them both to their highest-funded projects ever.

A magical match

Pride Month honors the diversity, history, and contributions of LGBTQIA+ community while commemorating the ongoing struggle for civil rights. It’s also a time of self-affirmation. Key & Crow’s Pride Potions and UltraInfinite’s Pride Angels were created in this spirit. Both projects offer designs championing LGBTQIA+ visibility and embracing the wide spectrum of identities within the community.

UltraInfinite and Key & Crow Studios’ Progress Pride Flag-themed pins.

While the purpose driving the campaigns was the core commonality between the two, other similarities made these creators an easy fit for collaboration:

  • They both used the colors of various pride flags in their designs
  • They were both working in a similar fantasy art genre
  • They’re both enamel pin projects
  • They were planning to launch and end their campaigns around the same time

 

Any of these characteristics on their own could be enough to justify linking up. But, when taken together, all of these things suggest that the creators’ audiences would be interested in both projects. That crossover appeal is what makes this type of collaboration work best.

In fact, by the time these two projects ended, it was clear that there was an incredible level of crossover appeal: 49% of Pride Potions’ backers backed Pride Angels and 88% of Pride Angels’ backers backed Pride Potions.

In addition to those impressive results, both creators hit several exciting milestones:

Pride Potions

  • Raised $17,995 with 641 backers
  • #1 most-funded and most-backed project ever across seven (7) campaigns
  • Surpassed their funding goal by $17,395
  • Smashed through every stretch goal in less than five hours

 

Pride Angels

  • Raised $54,914 with 1,138
  • #1 most-funded and most-backed project ever across seven (7) campaigns
  • Surpassed their funding goal by $53,914

 

This Cross-Collab was an amazing example of what can happen when creators team up and work together.

How BackerKit Cross-Collabs work

A BackerKit Cross-Collab enables two (2) creators to launch two (2) separate projects concurrently – each with its own independent concept and funding goal – to collaborate on cross-promotion and campaign-boosting features, like Cross-Collab incentives that unlock only when both projects are funded. Backers must back both projects to earn the coveted Cross-Collab reward.

Cross-Collabs effectively break the 1-creator, 1-campaign rule of traditional crowdfunding to help unlock:

  • More fans through creator-led audience introduction and discovery
  • More funds through Cross-Collab rewards drive multi-project pledging
  • And way more fun by partnering creatively with another creator to share in the campaign experience, and fun for your backers as they earn double the exclusive limited edition freebies

 

Cross-Collab campaign discovery, cross-promotion, and rewards are all powered by the BackerKit Crowdfunding Platform – the only place where creators can team up today to launch bigger campaigns through this industry-first collaborative crowdfunding model.

Interested in launching a BackerKit Cross-Collab? Sign up now >>

How do I find a Cross-Collab partner?

You can partner with a creator you already know and quickly transform your BackerKit projects into a linked Cross-Collab campaign in just a few clicks. Learn how >>

If you need help finding a Cross-Collab partner, we can help match you with another BackerKit creator. Sign up here >>

Incentivizing pledges through Cross-Collab rewards

A Cross-Collab reward adds something special to the campaign by gamifying the experience—it incentivizes people to back both projects so they can get a cool freebie if both projects are successful.

“We followed the example from Pintopia to offer a pair of cross-collab freebie pins to backers who pledged to both projects. We both came in with ideas for our freebies but gave each other feedback on things like colors and pin sizes to help with manufacturing.” – Mary Cirino, UltraInfinite

What’s great about a Cross-Collab is that you’re not just endorsing your partner; you can create something new and unique together. A fan is likely to check out the partner project because of that creative collaboration, in addition, of course, to the freebie reward. That possibility of sharing an audience is one of the major features of a Cross-Collab and what makes it so powerful and fun.

The creative element on its own is also a major benefit of this type of collaborative crowdfunding. As artists, Key & Crow Studios and UltraInfinite exchanged ideas and challenged themselves to develop these two wonderful pins that complement each other so well.

Launching an effective Cross-Collab

There were a few important activities that Key & Crow Studios and UltraInfinite did to make sure that everything ran smoothly and that they could generate more interest in both projects.

Open communication

“Communication is key,” says Mary. “You can’t be afraid to talk to your partner.”

The two creators needed to find tools that they were comfortable using and that would help them facilitate their collaboration.

“We connected immediately on Discord to communicate and share necessary art files. Discord was also helpful for getting input on each other’s freebie pin designs and coordinating launch and end times.” — Mary Cirino, UltraInfinite

Join our Creator Community on Discord by signing up for a BackerKit Creator account today. Sign up here >>

Cross-promotion

Their collaboration didn’t end with the freebie pin. They also needed to work together to spread the word about their projects.

“We shared each other’s campaigns on our social media, both before launch (sharing the pre-launch page) as well as during the crowdfunding period. We made sure to tag each other and share links diligently. We also promoted each other’s projects in updates to our backers. On our campaign pages, we made sure to have sections and graphics sharing our pins and campaign links. We also pledged to each other’s projects.” — Mary Cirino, UltraInfinite

Celebrating community through collaboration

It’s so great that during a month that celebrates community, these two creators were able to team up.

“I have had so much fun doing this Cross-Collab and already have plans for future Cross-Collab projects,” says Mary.

The partnership between these two creators highlights how, through collaboration, creators can amplify each other’s work, support each other, and create a more inclusive space.

If you’re interested in launching a Cross-Collab, we’d love to hear from you!