Victoria Lozano of Crayola: Building the Crayola "Creative Ecosystem"

In this episode of CMO Weekly, host Haley Clover sits down with Victoria Lozano, the Chief Marketing Officer of Crayola, to explore how a 120-year-old heritage brand is evolving into a full creative ecosystem. Victoria shares insights from her 16-year tenure at the company, discussing the shift from selling art supplies to fostering "creativity as a life skill" through content, experiences, and digital innovation.Key Topics Covered: Building a Creative Ecosystem: Discover how Crayola has expanded beyond physical products into Crayola Studios and location-based entertainment to showcase creativity in action.The Power of "Crayola Creativity Week": Victoria discusses the massive success of this free global program, which reached 13.2 million children in over 120 countries last year by integrating creativity into core subjects like math and literacy.Nostalgia vs. Modern Relevance: How Crayola uses emotional triggers—like the return of retired colors (Dandelion) and global color votes—to stay relevant for both children and nostalgic adults.The Adult Coloring Resurgence: Learn why 57% of Crayola purchases now come from households without children, as adults turn to coloring for relaxation and "rebalancing".The Secret to Marketing Longevity: Victoria offers advice for early-career marketers on finding passion, embracing diverse roles within a single brand, and thinking about the "bigger ecosystem".Crayon Naming Stories: A look behind the scenes at how colors like "Macaroni and Cheese" and "Tickle Me Pink" were named by fans and children.