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Diving overview:
- UGG is paying homage to retro B-movies in a campaign that heralds the limited-time return of the brand’s Fluff Yeah fuzzy slides, according to details shared with Marketing Dive.
- Atsuko Okatsuka stars in the creative, which takes inspiration from classics such as Attack of the 50 Foot Woman and follows the comedian as she roams through a miniature version of Los Angeles, where Ag was founded. This small city set includes several winks to the company, including the Hollywood sign that has been modified to read “UGG.”
- Ugg will also be hosting a movie theater-themed pop-up experience in Los Angeles from March 18th to 19th, offering concession check-ins and branded popcorn bags. Marketers at Deckers Brands emphasize a handcrafted approach, bucking the trend in marketing generated by artificial intelligence.
Dive Insight:
Ugg is bringing back a fan-requested item for its spring campaign, but the brand is positioning it as anti-AI in its press materials. The Southern California-based shoemaker joins a growing chorus of marketers emphasizing their stance on AI technology to emphasize authenticity and human-first connections.
The creative centerpiece is a meticulously handcrafted version of Los Angeles that incorporates several Ug- and Tinseltown-inspired elements, including a “fluff-and-fold” storefront, signage referencing ultra-local lore, the Ug Hollywood sign, and bite-sized branded delivery trucks. The miniature set is made of wood, paper and practical materials and was assembled in about four weeks after a two-month prototyping period, Agu said.
Comedian Okatsuka frolicking around the neighborhood showing slides of Fluff Yeah was filmed on film, a DSLR, and an iPhone. Amber Assaly shot stills for the campaign, with Daisy Stackpole leading the styling. Ugg is also releasing a video on its social channels supporting the initiative, developed in collaboration with Tastebuds Studio. According to Tracy Paoletti, vice president and general manager of Ugg North America, the complete media plan includes digital, print, out-of-home and social elements. OOH will appear in New York and Los Angeles, and video ads will run on TikTok, Instagram, and in-feed placements across Meta.
In addition, UGG will be hosting a two-day pop-up in Venice Beach that extends the movie homage concept into the real world. Visitors can experience the Fluff Theater where they can try on slippers, take photos on the giant Fluff Yeah Slide, and take home branded souvenirs while munching on popcorn and cotton candy.
The Fluff Yeah collection was first launched in 2018 and discontinued just four years later. Ugg noticed that searches for oversized slides were still surging on its website in 2024, so it decided to bring back the product for a limited time this year.
Ag’s net sales for the holiday quarter ended Dec. 31 rose 4.9% from a year earlier to $1.3 billion, a performance that executives at parent company Deckers Brands called “exceptional.” Ugg’s marketing focuses on collaborations with other fashion brands such as Sacai and experiential activations such as the multisensory Feel House experience in New York City.
Crocs, which also makes shoes with a distinctive look and comfort, launched a new brand platform in January that aims to combat what the brand calls algorithmic sameness. The ad, which depicts robot-like store mannequins becoming more human-like as they explore a city at night, is another example of a campaign exploring the advertising industry’s takeover of AI.
