Case Study: Crocs in China

A recent Wall Street Journal article, “How Crocs Conquered China” (August 18, 2025), provides an excellent success story and case study that offers numerous opportunities for your marketing classes. Crocs is a product that most of our students are familiar with, although the strategic adaptation to China is probably something they don’t know about.

Concepts from Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8 in Essentials of Marketing are clearly shown in the case. You might use this as just an extended example, you could assign students to read it, and you could design an in-class activity around it. I have suggested one way to do the latter below.

Relevant Chapters in Essentials of Marketing

1. Market Segmentation and Targeting (Chapters 2, 3 or 4)

• Focused on Gen Z and youth culture.
• Initial misstep: Crocs originally pushed products (like loafers) that didn’t resonate with Chinese consumers.
• Strategic pivot: They identified a strong youth segment—especially Gen Z and young urban women—who valued individuality and comfort.
• Lesson: Effective marketing starts with understanding who your customer is and what they care about.

2. Positioning and Differentiation (Chapters 2 or 4)

• Crocs positioned itself not just as a casual shoe brand, but as a platform for self-expression. Personalization with Jibbitz charms allowed wearers to signal identity, humor, and creativity.
• “Wear your vibe” — product as self-expression.
• Lesson: Brands that help consumers express themselves can command higher loyalty and pricing power.

3. Product Strategy and the Marketing Mix (4Ps) (Chapter 2)

• Great examples of adapting all four Ps.
• Product: Crocs localized their product line—platform clogs, trendy collaborations, and unique colorways.
• Price: Some limited editions sell for up to $250, signaling exclusivity.
• Place: Focus on stylish, urban malls and social media platforms like Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book).
• Promotion: Used local celebrities and tailored messaging (e.g., “Born to Be Free” in Mandarin) to build cultural relevance.
• Lesson: The 4Ps must align with the tastes and expectations of the local market.

4. Global vs. Local Strategy (Glocalization) (Chapter 2 or 3)

• Local campaigns and symbols that resonate in China.
• Although Crocs is a U.S. brand, its China marketing is locally driven from Shanghai. Local teams shape strategy, not headquarters in Colorado.
• Lesson: Brands that empower local decision-makers can respond faster and more effectively to market needs.

5. Consumer Behavior and Cultural Relevance (Chapter 3 or 5)

• Crocs tapped into cultural trends: rising nationalism, desire for comfort post-pandemic, and visual self-expression on social media.
• The fandom around Crocs (the “dongmen”) reflects how brands can become part of identity and lifestyle in new markets.
• Lesson: Marketing isn’t just about products—it’s about meaning and cultural fit.

6. Branding and Community Building (Chapter 8 or 16)

• Crocs didn’t just sell shoes—they built a community of fans. Online engagement and viral posts fueled organic growth.
• By tracking social media hashtags in earnings calls, Crocs shows how seriously it takes brand community.
• Lesson: In modern marketing, brand success is often co-created by consumers.

Class Discussion/Activity Idea

Preparation

• Summary of the Crocs case – either slides from lecture (possibly with images of Crocs/Jibbitz used in China
• Whiteboard or slides with discussion prompts

Activity Instructions and plan:

1. Form small groups
2. Group activity (15-20 minutes). Assign more or fewer questions depending on the chapter. If using with Chapter 2, you might show a graphic of the Marketing Strategy Process Planning model and assign each group a different set of questions. If using with a specific chapter, focus on the questions related to that topic.
   • Segmentation & Targeting (Chapter 2, 3 or 4)
     • Who was Crocs originally targeting in China, and why didn’t it work?
     • Who is Crocs targeting now in China, and how do we know?
   • Positioning & Differentiation (Chapter 2 or 4)
     • How does Crocs position itself differently in China than in the U.S.?
     • What role does self-expression play in their positioning?
   • Marketing Mix (4Ps) (Chapter 2)
     • How did Crocs adapt its product, price, place, and promotion for China?
     • Which element of the 4Ps was most important for their turnaround—and why?
   • Global Strategy (Glocalization) (Chapter 2 or 3)
     • How did Crocs balance its global brand identity with local Chinese culture?
     • What risks come with localizing marketing this way?
   • Consumer Behavior (Chapter 5)
     • Why do you think Crocs resonates with young Chinese consumers today?
     • How did Crocs use social media and fandom to build momentum?
3. Report out (10-15 minutes) Each group could share a 2 minute summary of their key insights.
4. Wrap-up discussion question (5 minutes)
   • Crocs became a hit by empowering local teams, encouraging fan creativity, and turning a basic product into a social statement. What’s one U.S. brand you think could replicate this strategy in China—or one that would fail if it didn’t localize?

ChatGPT was used to develop ideas for this blog post.