MAD//Fest Speaker Interview: The Marketer Who Gave Crocs Added Bite
27 May 2022
Yann Le Bozec has led one of the most remarkable brand transformations in recent years, helping to shift Crocs’ reputation as guilty of crimes against fashion to Gen Z’s footwear of choice.
With wonderfully creative brand collaborations with the likes of Balenciaga, (remember the stiletto heeled Croc?) and Chinatown Market, amongst others, it’s now in the enviable position of being able to raise its prices and see sales rocket. Crocs has doubled its sales to £2bn in just 6 years and established itself as a firm favourite of celebrities and young fashion-conscious consumers.
Here’s our quick fire interview with Yann.
1. 2022 is the year of?
Fun, fun, fun
2. What was the last ad your saw that made you buy something?
Became obsessed with portable blenxers after being aggressively targeted on Instagram. Who says advertising doesn’t work!!!
A 'must have', according to Le Bozec
3. If you had to choose which one would it be - day WFH or day in the office?
Definitely over WFH…Nothing beats direct connections and office banters, so back to the office for sure! Plus see my next answer!!
4. What keeps you awake at night?
Sometimes the upstairs neighbour kid running in the middle of the night, nothing work related.
5. 2022 is the year of the Metaverse, (apparently) - will you be an early adopter or a cynical onlooker?
We launched our very first NFT in January 2022, with emerging label Egonlab who share our passion for creativity and innovation. (The collection is created by Egonlab’s Cosmic Shelter, and limited to only 5 unique pairs of crocs, that are all covered with bright and colorful Swarovski crystals). So I guess we fit in the early adopter group.
6. What’s the biggest opportunity in marketing and advertising right now?
Authenticity, living internally by the same values that are pushed to the consumers
7. What are you speaking about at MAD//Fest in July?
I will tell the journey of how Crocs managed to dramatically change consumer’s perceptions using a fan-centric social-first approach.
Yann will take to MAD//Fest stage on 6 July.
Over 7,000 brands and agencies are expected to attend MAD//Fest London 2022, 3,000 more than 2021 when MAD//Fest was the only UK industry festival to take place in physical form. Other speakers for the 2022 edition include Rachel Waller, Global VP Innovation, Burberry; Cristina Diezhandino, Global CMO, Diageo; Tina Koehler, Global VP Marketing, Deliveroo; James Brown, MD, BrewDog; and Sir Martin Sorrell, Founder & CEO, S4 Capital.
Earlybird tickets are available here.