Skip to main content

How Crocs Went From Polarizing to Fashionable

The ugly shoe that became a must-have with clever marketing.


Retail, Marketing and Advertising Entrepreneurship Manufacturing & Packaging Product Distribution Chapter 1 Taking Risks & Making Profits Chapter 6 Entrepreneurship Chapter 9 Production & Operations Management Chapter 13 Marketing Chapter 14 Product & Price Chapter 15 Distribution Chapter 16 Place & Promotion Video Blog Understanding Business Higher Education

While Crocs have had their fans since launching in 2002, the clog brand really took off during the pandemic as housebound Americans searched for comfortable indoor shoes. This video looks at how Crocs won over a doubting public thanks to its unique design, customization, and exclusive partnerships with brands and celebrities. 

Questions:

  1. Why did Crocs close its retail stores and move to a distribution model that focused on online sales? How did it benefit from this switch? 
  2. How does customization help make a product like Crocs stand out in a crowded marketplace?
Author: NickelsMcHughMcHugh

Related Content:

  • How Kodak Invented the “Snapshot”

    How cheap film and easy cameras revolutionized personal photography.

  • Why Sweetgreen Struggles to Earn a Profit

    Fancy salads, high rents: Why growth hasn’t led to profits.