From cowboy boots to fried chicken-scented charms, foam footwear maker Crocs has a reputation for quirk. This month, Crocs is putting its best paw forward: The quirky-but-comfortable footwear maker is releasing a line of clogs for dogs.
Pet Clogs are part of a partnership with pet supply company and subscription service BARK as part of Crocs’ annual “Croctober” campaign, when it releases a fan-inspired product.
Companies often release promotional or limited-time items to boost recognition of their brand. Special flavors of sodas or candies, partnerships with influencers or other brands, even items that aren’t meant to be taken seriously can all help a company get a burst of publicity and help them stand out in a crowded marketplace among shoppers fighting inflaiton and looking to stretch their dollars.
“(The market) is returning, from my perspective, to what it was pre-pandemic, which is key promotional periods are super important,” CEO Andrew Rees told analysts during an earnings call in August. “We believe you have to participate in those promotional periods to get your fair share of consumer spending.”
Americans have been shelling out more money for their furry friends over the past decade. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported pet expenditures increased by 77.9% from 2013 to 2021.
Pet owners spent a total of $147 billion on pet-related expenses in 2023, and that number is projected to go up to $150.6 billion this year, according to the American Pet Products Association.
But analysts say Crocs’ foray into the pet industry is more than just another eyebrow-raising marketing stunt — it’s a demonstration of the power of its loyal fan base.
The power of fandom
Despite — or perhaps even thanks to — frequent mocking from fashionistas, Crocs has carved a niche for itself in pop culture. Its meme status and penchant for going viral are helped by star-studded collaborations from the likes of Justin Bieber to Bad Bunny.
And sales of the footwear brand soared in 2020, thanks to the rise of casual fashion during the pandemic.
“Crocs has a very strong base of fans, and it is very good at engaging with them via social channels and marketing campaigns,” said Neil Saunders, a retail analyst at GlobalData.
If you need proof of the power of its fans, just observe how quickly limited-edition drops sell out. In 2021, a pair of adult clogs modeled after the Disney/Pixar character Lightning McQueen from the movie “Cars” sold out in just under an hour after it launched on the Crocs website.
Perhaps one of the reasons for Crocs’ enduring popularity with it fanbase, which Saunders characterized as “cult-like,” is its active engagement with its consumers, making even the most seemingly ridiculous fan requests into a reality (see: Crocs inspired by the DreamWorks movie character “Shrek”).
Saunders says the rollout of Pet Crocs, described by the company as “one of the most highly requested products in brand history,” is another move expected to appeal to younger, more social media-savvy fans.
“In many instances these will be fun purchases which people will share on social media, helping to amplify the Crocs brand,” he said.
