• by Sarah Mahoney , Yesterday

Sure, to some people, Crocs may be ugly or purely practical. But to the millions who wear them daily, the foam clogs have long functioned as a form of self-expression — a dynamic the footwear brand is using in its first major new campaign in almost 10 years.

Themed “Wonderfully Unordinary,” the global effort marks a strategic evolution for Crocs, moving beyond its long-running “Come As You Are” platform toward a more interior idea of individuality. The goal, the company says, is not just to signal acceptance, but to explore what it actually feels like to be yourself.

“‘Come As You Are’ served us well for a long time,” says Carly Gomez, who joined Crocs as CMO last year from Fabletics. “But it was time to tell our story in a new way to a consumer who is truly a Crocs native. Our Gen Z audience has been wearing Crocs since they were kids.”

The new work, created by agency Flower Shop, opens with a 90-second film directed by Swedish filmmaker Adam Berg. The spot follows two mannequins as they slowly come to life and experience simple human moments—touching a flower, petting a cat, riding a bike—for the first time. Internally, the concept became known as “Let Your Human Out,” a phrase Gomez says reflects how the brand wants people to feel when they put on Crocs.

While the ad itself centers on the brand’s classic clog — a silhouette that typically sells for around $25 — much of Crocs’ recent momentum has come from an expanding universe of line extensions and collaborations. The brand now spans sandals, fleece-lined versions, sports partnerships with the NFL, collaborations with Levi’s and Lego, and high-fashion experiments like a Balenciaga x Crocs platform clog that retails for $995 at Bergdorf Goodman.

“Our classic clog is truly an icon and synonymous with the brand,” Gomez says. “We want people to recognize that icon even as they see all the new things we’re doing.”

The multiyear campaign is running globally across digital and social channels and will extend into creator partnerships, retail activations and experiential storytelling. Out-of-home is a significant component, particularly in New York and Los Angeles, as the brand looks to maintain visibility in the places where its audience already lives.

Beyond sales lift, Gomez says Crocs is also tracking emotional connection through social listening, using those signals to gauge whether the campaign is strengthening how consumers feel about the brand, not just how often they buy it.