Hey Dude, owned by Crocs, has entered into a long-term partnership with content creators Dude Perfect—the five-strong group of college friends who post stunts and other content on YouTube, and whose subscriber following stands at more than 59 million. The team will work on the shoe brand’s forthcoming campaigns and create bespoke content.
According to Crocs, which bought Hey Dude almost two years ago, the casual footwear brand is the fastest-growing in the United States. The Dude Perfect deal, the financial details of which were not disclosed, is designed to keep that momentum going.
Dude Perfect’s most popular video, Water Bottle Flip 2, has more than 430 million views and heads a list of eight items with more than 200 million views each. The friends have become a staple for anyone looking for fun, sports-themed content, including the trick shots that made the group famous while they were still at Texas A&M University in 2009. They also hold several Guinness World Records.
Fans will notice Hey Dude shoes creeping into Dude Perfect’s YouTube content as the brand taps into this vast new audience. Dude Perfect member Tyler ‘The Beard’ Toney said in a statement: “We try not to take ourselves too seriously. As our go-to shoe brand, Hey Dude is the perfect pairing for us.” Cody ‘The Tall Guy’ Jones from the social media giants, added: “As we kick off our partnership we are excited for what’s to come.”
If those statements are lapped up by Dude Perfect’s more than 90 million followers across all social platforms—and if the placement of Hey Dude shoes on their YouTube channel can be done in a natural and authentic way—the brand’s shoe stores could be onto a winner. The Hey Dude website, today, has a front page showing special picks from Dude Perfect with prices from $49 to $75.
A social media play
Hey Dude, founded in Italy in 2008, already has a loyal following for its shoes, which are known for their comfort and accessible prices. The original icons, the Wendy and Wally, have given way to an array of new styles while retaining the casual comfort they have been known for all along.
Kelli McCusker, Hey Dude’s chief marketing officer, commented: “Dude Perfect do a great job keeping things playful while making clever, entertaining content. As we work to authentically connect with more people and become their go-to shoe for everyday style, it was a no-brainer to bring the ‘Hey’ and ‘Perfect’ together around the dude.”
Crocs did not reveal the value of the partnership or for how long it would run. In its most recent results statement at the end of July and covering the second quarter, the company topped $1 billion, a record for quarterly revenue. Both the Crocs and Hey Dude brands “continued to gain share” according to CEO Andrew Rees who led the Hey Dude acquisition.
However, while Crocs powered ahead by 14% to $833 million during the three months ending June, Hey Dude grew by a more modest 3% to $239 million. For the full year, the company said that it expected a sharp pick-up in sales, pointing to growth of up to 13% on a reported basis, most likely on the back of the Dude Perfect deal.
Dude Perfect have been branching out from being a group of social-media influencers, almost from their 2009 start. They began gaming tie-ups in 2011 and several collaborations with sports stars and teams, chiefly in the United States. Last week, the YouTubers took a stake in English Premier League soccer club Burnley, claiming that they’ve been fans of the league for some time and were happy to formalize a relationship with the club.
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