New products, new technologies, and new partnerships— these are some of the elements in Crayola’s marketing strategy for continued success in the digital age. The original founders of Crayola marketed their first boxed set of eight crayons in 1903, seeking to compete with more expensive imported coloring sticks. Crayola’s products caught on quickly because they were affordable and child-friendly. Over time, the company introduced additional colors, and it scored a big hit with the now-iconic box of 64 crayons, launched in 1958.

More than a century after being founded, Crayola— now owned by Hallmark Cards— dominates its market, selling three billion crayons every year. Its marketing plan focuses on a diverse range of products that facilitate creativity and personal expression, including crayons, markers, paints, coloring books, craft activity sets, toys, and modeling compounds like clay and Silly Putty. Crayola targets multiple audiences, including children and adults, retailers, schools, educational distributors, and international distributors. Communicating through traditional and social media allows the company to engage customers of all ages in all markets, and keeps brand awareness high.

Questions for Discussion

1. Which competitive growth strategy was Crayola pursuing when it retired old crayon colors and launched new colors? Which strategy was it pursuing when it introduced coloring books for adults

2. From the perspective of a SWOT analysis, how is Crayola using its strengths to make the most of potential opportunities and to convert potential threats into opportunities

3. Can Crayola transfer its first-mover advantage from the crayon market to creative and artistic products for digital-savvy consumers? Why or why not