KFC and Crocs have partnered up to create an extraordinarily “American” shoe. The two brands are releasing a limited-edition fried chicken-themed croc. It recently debuted at New York Fashion Week, though it will not be for sale to the public until Spring 2020. The shoes are inspired by the buckets of chicken served at KFC and even feature chicken-scented drumstick “Jibbitz”, i.e. removable shoe charms. There are two versions of the shoe: one is a classic Croc and the other is a platform “Bucket Clog” which features a 4.5-inch platform—though it seems for now only the traditional KFC crocs will be available for retail for $59.99 on the brand’s website.
Croc is advertising the shoes as a “truly original recipe”, paying homage to KFC’s “original recipe” slogan. The unisex and quirky clogs could help further position both companies as “lifestyle brands”, particularly Crocs, which has been facing a resurgence in popularity thanks in part to Gen-Z, partnerships with off-beat pop star Post Malone, and a limited-edition collection with luxury fashion house Balenciaga. KFC has also released recent collaborations, including its KFC x Human Made streetwear collection, which became one of the brand’s most interactive posts when unveiled on Instagram, according to a Gartner report. For the KFC x Crocs launch, influencer-artist MLMA was recruited for promotional ads, where she can be seen removing the shoes from a deep fryer in the 30-second spot.
The KFC x Crocs partnership is another eccentric chapter in both brands’ books and may inspire more unique partnerships in the future. Although the shoe may seem particularly niche, KFC and Croc might have the perfect target market that’ll eat this exclusive union right up.
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