Jibbitz are charms developed by Crocs that depict images, letters, sayings, characters and bits of pop culture that can be mounted on a post to pop into the holes of Crocs. Crocs had a surge in interest in 2020 during the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, with people adopting the shoe into their day-to-day. Commenting on the collaboration, Bieber said that Crocs are “comfortable, they’re fashionable, and most importantly it’s fun to bring your own style to how you wear them. Heidi Cooley, Head of Global Marketing for Crocs, explains why this type of partnership is key to building consumer trust and loyalty. To celebrate Pride in 2020, for example, the brand teamed up with model and actor Ruby Rose to release a pair of rainbow-coloured Crocs (also making a donation to LGBTQ+ charity GLAAD in honour of the campaign).

Crocs, with its eye-catching and pop-culture inspired designs, has gained fresh, cult-like status among young consumers in particular. One of the main reasons for this is Crocs’ strategic (and surprising) series of collaborations, which range from the rapper Post Malone to luxury brand, Balenciaga. Since, Crocs has continued in a similar vein, creating fun, interactive, and innovative content on TikTok and other social platforms – as well as being a pioneer of visual content. Commenting on the partnership, CEO Andrew Rees said during the 2021 ICR Conference that “it allows our brand to be relevant to a broad variety of consumers and in a broad variety of purchase occasions, so it’s a really important part of our business. It was through this that Crocs discovered it was going viral on TikTok (even before the brand joined itself), with popular challenges including the ‘Shaving Cream Challenge’ and the ‘Crocs Shoe-Throwing Challenge’ gaining traction on the platform.From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for all you do to keep our communities comfortable in their own shoes. However, alongside a spike in consumer demand due to contextual factors (like the need for comfort), Crocs also ramped up digital investment during this time to further build on consumer interest. Crocs recently pledged to become a net-zero company by 2030, along with the target of a 50% reduction in its carbon footprint per pair of Crocs shoes. So, with sustainability paramount for younger consumers (a core target demographic for the brand), Crocs is stepping up its own commitment to the environment.

Crocs is not the only brand to see ecommerce growth during the pandemic, of course, despite the wider business challenges. This statement summarises Crocs’ ideology, with authentic and creative collaboration helping to generate loyalty and brand favour. Summer in the park is about to level-up for Croc-wearers, as you can now get speakers that attach to your feet. Cherubs Charms introduced the new creation on TikTok, which allows you to attach the device like 'jibbitz', and blare out songs as you walk. In 2021, however, a new pair of smart glasses – created by Facebook in partnership with Ray-Ban – could usher in a new era of mainstream wearable technology.What’s more, Crocs has become known as a brand that is able to evolve alongside its audience, which in today’s increasingly fickle retail landscape, seems to be a key component of success. TikTok promises a huge opportunity for brands to boost their reach and engagement, particularly with a younger audience – if they can successfully play to its strengths. A good example of a brand who has adapted its marketing strategy, transitioning to digital, but without forgetting its core values and its positioning. Convenient And Portable: The Forte Speaker is attached directly to your Crocs, making it a convenient way to take your music wherever you go!

The example of TikTok is quite interesting; consumers started to talk about the brand in TikTok first and the brand itself came to TikTok later on. The video, which shows him lounging in the middle of a street while blasting to music, has already garnered 102,273 likes and over 2 million views. Seen on the feet of influencers and Oscar-attendees alike – as well as those who simply care more about comfort than style – the footwear brand has recently cemented its success with record earnings. In 2020 and again in March of 2021, Crocs also released limited edition styles in partnership with Justin Bieber and his own fashion label, Drew House.Social media has been integral to Crocs’ marketing activity in recent years, with social listening enabling the brand to create reactive content based on current user trends and conversation. A prominent example of this is the ‘Crocs Jibbitz Personaliser’– a digital tool that enables consumers to personalise Crocs with Jibbitz shoe charms. In just a week, Crocs generated 100,000 followers, with 45,000 videos created within 36 hours of the challenge’s launch.