Proceedings of the 2025 International Conference on Financial Innovation and Marketing Management (FIMM 2025)

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The Anti-Aesthetic Marketing Strategy and Z Generation Cultural Identity in Crocs

Authors
Wenye Zhang1, *
1Department of Sociology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
*Corresponding author. Email: 1155207418@link.cuhk.edu.hk
Corresponding Author
Wenye Zhang
Available Online 3 November 2025.
DOI
10.2991/978-94-6463-874-5_155How to use a DOI?
Keywords
Anti-aesthetic branding; Generation Z; cultural identity; consumer psychology; Crocs
Abstract

Crocs, initially labeled a fashion disaster, has successfully transformed into an emblematic anti-aesthetic brand, resonating deeply with Generation Z’s cultural identity. This research explores the strategic use of deliberately “ugly” or unconventional design elements employed by Crocs to appeal to Gen Z, emphasizing authenticity, individuality, and irony. Through an online survey of 210 university students at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, this study reveals that Gen Z primarily values Crocs for their uniqueness and symbolic rejection of mainstream aesthetics rather than mere comfort or practicality. Results indicate that a majority perceive Crocs’ “ugly” aesthetic positively, appreciating it as a form of playful self-expression and nonconformity. The findings highlight a paradox wherein anti-fashion items like Crocs have evolved into popular expressions of identity, reflecting broader trends of aesthetic pluralism and ironic consumerism among youth. The research concludes that brands effectively leveraging anti-aesthetic strategies can foster significant cultural resonance and brand loyalty among younger demographics.

Copyright
© 2025 The Author(s)
Open Access
Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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Volume Title
Proceedings of the 2025 International Conference on Financial Innovation and Marketing Management (FIMM 2025)
Series
Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research
Publication Date
3 November 2025
ISBN
978-94-6463-874-5
ISSN
2352-5428
DOI
10.2991/978-94-6463-874-5_155How to use a DOI?
Copyright
© 2025 The Author(s)
Open Access
Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

Cite this article

risenwbib
TY  - CONF
AU  - Wenye Zhang
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/11/03
TI  - The Anti-Aesthetic Marketing Strategy and Z Generation Cultural Identity in Crocs
BT  - Proceedings of the 2025 International Conference on Financial Innovation and Marketing Management (FIMM 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 1373
EP  - 1382
SN  - 2352-5428
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-874-5_155
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6463-874-5_155
ID  - Zhang2025
ER  -