Thanks to Crocs (NASDAQ:CROX), Spider-Man will soon be everywhere.
Yesterday, the funky shoemaker announced a licensing deal that will allow it to sell shoes and Jibbitz charms featuring Marvel Entertainment's (NYSE:MVL) increasingly popular characters, including Spidey, the Hulk, and the X-Men.
Smart move. Marvel's brands are so well known that, in 2006, the company was the fourth-largest licensor of consumer products in the world. Movies and video games are but pieces of a rapidly growing pie.
That's why this deal means more to Crocs. Heck, it may even make for a competitive advantage. Think about it: Just one coat of paint could add several dollars' worth of margin.
Those who've read my commentary about Crocs know that I shorted the stock in our Motley Fool CAPS investor-intelligence database and paid a high price for being wrong. Such is the nature of investing. Everyone -- and I mean everyone -- is wrong from time to time. Thankfully, I've been more right than wrong. Just not with Crocs.
So, I stand corrected -- and in awe. Crocs, like Marvel, is an emerging brand. Transforming its shoes into miniature works of art will only make it more valuable.
Do you agree? Disagree? Let me know.
Marvel Entertainment is a Stock Advisor recommendation. A free 30-day trial of the newsletter will have you flying across buildings (at heart).
Fool contributor Tim Beyers can't help wondering whether Crocs will make an Ant-Man shoe for infants. He didn't own shares in any of the companies mentioned in this article at the time of publication. The Motley Fool's disclosure policy stands for truth, justice, and the Foolish way.
