CROCS: CREATING AN ARMY OF ADVOCATES

Morning!

Has it really been a week already? Time really is flying.

I’m currently writing this in my notes app on my phone - yep it’s been a hectic week.

Signed 3 clients, onboarded another 2, plus, it was our new hires' first week full-time.

Busy times.

But you’re not here for me to moan about my life, you’re here for marketing gems, so let’s get into it!

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Breaking Down The Strategy

When I moved to South Carolina at 18 the difference between U.K. and U.S. culture quickly became evident. (The fact I was living in the land of trucks, cowboy boots and country music definitely didn't help.)But there was one thing that I genuinely could never get my head around... their love for one of the ugliest shoes on the planet...Crocs.

Now let me preface here, I am FAR from a fashionista. In fact, I know as much about fashion as a plank of wood. Zilch. Nowt. Nothing.So, I'm not one to comment on someone's choice of clothes. But Crocs... I mean look at them. How in the world can you wear those on your feet and think they look good?The worst part is, people weren't just wearing them in their rooms or to the beach, they were wearing them like a fashion statement.

To class, to dinner, they even wore them on nights out. It was bonkers to me.

But it wasn't just SC folk falling head of heels for these plastic slippers, the whole world was.

In 2021, Crocs sold over 103 MILLION pairs globally (up 49% over 2020) and generated $2.3 billion in revenue. (Source)

It is clear that I'm the odd one out with my hatred for Crocs, but why does everyone else love their pair of Crocs the way they do?

Well, there are a lot of reasons I've heard: "They're comfy""They're easy to get on""They're cool"All the classics. But there's one key thing about Crocs that makes them so unique to any other shoe - and it's what I believe is there hidden superpower. Which is...Their Jibbitz.

If you're not familiar, Jibbitz are the little things you see people fill their Crocs holes with (no idea what you call the holes). They look something like this:

Why is it such a genius aspect of the shoe?

Because it makes the Crocs feel more like YOUR pair of Crocs.

Anyone can buy the same brand of shoes, even the same colour. Yet, when it comes to Crocs, NO ONE has the same pair because the design is uniquely created by them.

Back when I was a kid I remember building a wooden fire engine with my Dad. "We" spent every night building it for weeks, putting all the pieces together, glueing it, etc. Then at the end, we got to paint it how we wanted.

At the time, it felt like it was MY fire engine. But the truth is, my Dad built it and I just messily threw some red paint on it.

But because I added the final touch, it may the fire engine feel like it was 100% mine.

The same concept applies directly to Crocs.

Every Crocs wearer has a unique connection with their pair of Crocs (because they "designed" them), which in turn completely revolutionizes the brand advocacy part of their funnel. (Yep, we're back talking about funnels once again)

If you work in marketing, you know that the advocacy part of the funnel is nearly always the hardest part of the funnel to get a grasp of.

Getting someone to buy your product is one thing, getting them to shout from the hilltops about it is another.

Yet, that's exactly what Crocs has.

They have millions of people shouting from the hills about how amazing Crocs are and how everyone should try a pair.

Which creates this crazy flywheel that looks something like this:

A consumer comes across Crocs and is interested (Prospect)↓Consumer purchases Crocs (Customer)↓Customer shouts from the hills about Crocs (Promoter)↓A consumer comes across Crocs and is interested (Prospect)

The cycle then repeats again and again and again.

It's just the constantly growing team army of marketers that grows with every pair purchased.

And it's because of that advocacy that people buy the shoes.

Let's not get it twisted here, the shoes are ugly, but because people love their Crocs so much it makes you think they must be worth it.

It’s the classic curiosity killed the cat scenario.Even I am so confused at why people love them, that at times I've thought… “They must be good right?”. Simply because everyone else advocates for them so hard.

Thankfully my ego discipline outweighs my curiosity so I still have not, and will not be seen dead in a pair of crocs.

Nonetheless, I can admit I'm tempted to try a pair.

All because of the army of marketers they have from every pair they've sold.

They buy the shoes ↓They make them their own↓They become brand advocates↓They market the f*ck out of the brand

It's marketing built into the product, and that is ALWAYS the best kind of marketing.

Understanding what Crocs does well is one thing, but implementing a similar strategy is another.

Personally, I think there's one simple way to do just that (especially for service providers), and that's to:

Involve your client's in your process more.

A LOT of agencies put too much emphasis on being "Done For You". Don't get me wrong, there's a time and place where that is needed. When I pay our accountant to bookkeep, I do not want to be involved in that process.

However, in most cases I think involving your client in your process more (especially whilst developing strategies) will benefit you in the long run.

Instead of just handing them the finished product on a plate, you can let them help you build it. That could be as simple as offering them various different options of the finished product or reviewing the strategy you come up with and doing a roundtable when they can offer their opinion. If you can make them feel like the final product is something they played a part in building, they'll love it even more!

So go out and build the fire truck, but don't be afraid to let them throw some red paint on it!

And that's all for today!

It's Sunday, get off your phone, put the laptop down, and go enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Until next week.— Niall

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This has been a breakdown of Crocs' marketing strategy. I hope you have learned something and can implement a similar strategy in your business!

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