Do you realize the power of partnerships? Let me share with you a good example:

In 1999, the popular singer Gordon Sumner, more commonly known as Sting, produced a song called Desert Rose. The song was unlike anything he had ever produced before. On it, he performs a duet with Algerian Raï singer Cheb Mami, who sings lyrics in Arabic. The song has a very worldly feel to it, and Sting’s fans didn’t know what to make of it. Suffice to say, sales suffered. Cast members from Saturday Night Live even went so far as to make fun of the song in one of their sketches.

Sting’s producer, Miles Copeland III, produced a video of Sting riding through a desert in the back of an S-type Jaguar, wind blowing through his hair, as he sings the song. Copeland then showed the video to the marketing folks at Jaguar to see if they might be in interested in building a car commercial around it.

Were they! Sting told Billboard at the time that the automaker “flipped” at the opportunity. And when asked how much the pop star would charge for its use, Sting replied, why bother? “We don’t really need any money; it’s like a promotion for our single.”

I have no idea how many Jaguars they sold as a result of that popular commercial (although it would be interesting to know how much of an appeal it had for a younger demographic). The song, however, peaked at #17 on the U.S. pop charts.

Many institutions today, particularly community colleges, have formed powerful partnerships with companies and organizations, combining resources to offer new and expanded programs and services. But there are many more opportunities available that haven’t even begun to be tapped.

Who have you approached lately about forming a synergistic alliance? What’s holding you back?

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