Crocs® are trying hard to link to sailing imagery, part of their origins. Beating a dead horse, they have added boat shoe tops. Instead of linking directly to sailing to consolidate the authentic image they own. Besides, all that leather is absurd, absolutely unnecessary.
I think Croc®'s are gonna blow up. Ive just received the latest catalog. Instead of sticking to promotion of what they do best
using the Beach VBall Tour, etc, they are expanding through line extension, with all sorts of very conventional model adaptations. Line extension is a temptation, but always risky. Almost always falls flat on its face. Crocs® may be driven by fear of the knockoffs. Fear makes for mistakes. There are plenty of clones at super low price points already. Making Croc® girlie shoes wont fend them off.
Crocs® must be thinking: more models, more volume, more shelfspace in stores, more chance to block copies that don't offer the range. And just abandon cheapo outlets to the Chinese.
Major error. Facing the clones, image is way more important than price.
Although the marketing strategy is easy to understand, it is desperate. Worse, it dilutes the Crocs® 'message'. It will rob them of their unique caché if they try to be all things to all people, as the latest catalog suggests.
They're also still selling direct to retailers, instead of careful brand management through exclusive national distributors who know their markets. Retailers are whores. "Kindly whores", as Hans Diesundtot put it.
