Crocs Inc. officially launched its “Come As You Are” campaign “celebrating the uniqueness of individuals and inspiring people to be comfortable in their own shoes”. The campaign is led by brand ambassadors Drew Barrymore, John Cena, YOONA and Henry Lau.

“Crocs has never wavered from its identity: optimistic, versatile, comfortable and not afraid to poke holes in convention. ‘Come As You Are’ is an invitation for people to share their identity, their one‑of‑a‑kindness, which is so important in today’s world,” said Terence Reilly, Crocs’ Chief Marketing Officer. “We began to tease ‘Come As You Are’ in March with an influencer-led social campaign and behind-the-scenes videos featuring our celebrity ambassadors on social media. Our fans’ reaction has been tremendous.”

A world leader in innovative casual footwear known for its iconic Classic Clog and sandals, Crocs will deploy the campaign throughout 2017 via a mix of digital advertising, social media and public relations, incorporating the hashtag #ComeAsYouAre and featuring our core clogs and sandal styles. These marketing plans will be focused on the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, Germany and the United Kingdom, and will bring together celebrities, influencers and consumers around the world to share what makes them unique and to encourage others to do the same.

For the campaign’s official launch this month, Crocs has released a manifesto video featuring the brand’s four celebrity ambassadors challenging consumers around the world to “Come As You Are”. Crocs is also deploying “Be Yourselfie”, a GIF generator that allows consumers to express what makes them unique in a fun, sharable way. Consumers can go to yourselfie.crocs.com to upload or take a selfie and answer five questions to generate a shareable “Be Yourselfie” GIF. The four celebrity ambassadors will be releasing their own “Be Yourselfie” GIFs throughout the week.

Barrymore, who is currently executive producing and starring in the Netflix series Santa Clarita Diet, cites being herself – and being true to herself – as important factors in her drive and success as an actress, director, producer, entrepreneur, author and mother.

“I am who I am. I don’t know how to pretend to be someone else. I only know how to be myself,” said Barrymore. “I think more people should look in the mirror, stop scrutinizing and start recognizing. As the mother of two young children, I believe that is so important. It’s what ‘Come As You Are’ means to me and the main reason I’m thrilled to be partnering with Crocs.”

For one of the campaign’s activations, Barrymore and Crocs will issue a call for Instagram submissions leading up to Mother’s Day, asking consumers to share what makes their mom a one-of-a-kind for a chance to receive a personal video message directly from Barrymore – one mother to another.

From humble beginnings to WrestleMania, appearing in major motion pictures and hosting the ESPY Awards, Teen Choice Awards and Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, Cena has spread his “Never Give Up” message to millions of people around the world. The record 16-time WWE World Champion feels a personal connection to “Come As You Are.”

“The biggest factor in me becoming comfortable in my own skin was to experience failure,” Cena said. “A lot of times, it hasn’t been popular to have ‘Never Give Up’ plastered all over me, but that’s how I live. It helps a lot of people. The message ‘Come As You Are’ comes from folks who have been through that struggle, and have found themselves, and feel comfortable in their own skin.”

Part of Cena’s involvement in the campaign will be starring in a video series in which he interviews people about what it means to “Come As You Are” in order to inspire others to share their own stories on social media.

YOONA broke onto the music scene in South Korea in 2007 as a member of the group Girls’ Generation. She has since made a name for herself as an award-winning actress and is consistently recognized for her charitable contributions.

“What I love about the ‘Come As You Are’ campaign is that it’s an opportunity to inspire people to be comfortable in their own shoes,” said YOONA. “The spirit of the campaign is about overcoming preconceived notions and being comfortable with your true self in all that you do.”

A member of Super Junior–M, singer, songwriter, composer, and producer Lau is a multi-faceted musician who has also been active on screen in both scripted and unscripted programs. His popularity continues to grow throughout Asia.

“Some people are afraid to truly be themselves,” said Lau. “I’ve been there. Afraid to share fears, self-doubts and even accomplishments, because I didn’t want to be judged. Part of what I love about this campaign is that it’s about celebrating everything you’ve gone through – the good and the bad.”

To learn more about the #ComeAsYouAre campaign, visit www.crocs.com/comeasyouare.

Photo courtesy Crocs