How Crocs Is Taking a Page from LEGO’s Marketing Playbook

Brand partnerships can be tricky. One partner may eclipse the other. It can be hard to stand out or make the right commitments. I’ve always admired the way LEGO used partnerships to leverage the content and stories of their partners but add their own unique lens through the various items you could build through co-branded LEGO sets
with nearly every popular movie franchise series, from Marvel to Harry Potter. Recently, some lists of the many varied collaborations the Crocs brand has been doing are starting to get featured. The breadth of these partnerships is impressive and has played a big role in helping transform their brand reputation from the ultimate ugly footwear to an unabashed self-described “comfort brand.”

This shift is already described by some industry observers as “one of the great brand turnaround stories.” From celebrity collabs with music stars like Luke Combs or Bad Bunny, to branded shoes for household names like Pringles or Jolly Ranchers, to movie tie-ins with brands like Star Wars or SpongeBob - the full gallery of all the designs is extensive.