Objective

Launched in June 2024, Crayola Create was designed to seamlessly blend storytelling with Crayola's iconic brand identity, inspiring creativity in children and families. This collaboration between Crayola and TheSoul Publishing aimed to expand Crayola’s legacy by transforming its products into tools for imagination, curiosity, and community building. The goal was to create engaging, accessible content—ranging from DIY projects to educational videos—that encourages creative thinking and fosters meaningful parent-child connections.

Strategically, the series transcended passive consumption and invited viewers to become co-creators, leveraging Crayola products in their own artistic journeys. This interactive approach not only elevated engagement metrics but also deepened audience loyalty to the Crayola brand.

The results speak for themselves: with more than 600 million views and 650K subscribers generated in just seven months. The series demonstrates how branded content can achieve unparalleled viewer engagement while maintaining creative integrity.

Strategy

To bring Crayola Create to life, we developed a comprehensive strategy that seamlessly blended Crayola's legacy of inspiring creativity with TheSoul Publishing's expertise in engaging digital content. Our goal was to create a vibrant, family-friendly YouTube series that would inspire creativity, foster engagement, and authentically integrate Crayola products into every episode.

Strategic Approach:

1. Interactive Tutorials: We crafted DIY crafts and art challenges that invited viewers to actively participate, turning Crayola products into essential tools for self-expression. This hands-on approach transformed viewers from passive watchers into active creators, deepening their connection with the brand.
2. Relatable Narratives: Storylines featuring family bonding moments and artistic exploration made Crayola products a natural part of everyday life. By embedding the brand into authentic, emotionally engaging scenarios, we built a lasting connection with audiences.
3. Platform-Specific Optimization: Recognizing YouTube's dynamic environment, we tailored content to platform trends and viewer preferences. This balance of short-form entertainment with longer educational and DIY content ensured widespread appeal and sustained engagement.

Execution:

• Visual Identity: Crayola's signature yellow-and-green branding was seamlessly incorporated into thumbnails and video design, ensuring instant recognition. Vibrant visuals and dynamic cinematography mirrored the playful energy of Crayola products, using close-ups, family interactions, and time-lapse sequences to capture the joy of creation.
• Sound Design: Uplifting music and clear, friendly voiceovers enhanced the viewing experience, making the content accessible and engaging for families and young viewers.
• Precision Editing: Videos were meticulously edited to align with platform trends and children's attention spans, blending fast-paced entertainment with immersive DIY tutorials and educational episodes.
• Organic Brand Integration: Crayola products were naturally woven into each scene. Vibrant backdrops and the brand's color palette subtly reinforced brand identity without feeling promotional.

Challenges and Solutions:

• Balancing Branding and Authenticity: One major challenge was integrating Crayola products without appearing overly commercial. We overcame this by focusing on authentic storytelling and natural product use, ensuring the brand felt like an organic part of every creative journey.
• Global Audience Appeal: Crafting content that resonated with diverse, global audiences required careful cultural sensitivity. We addressed this by focusing on universally relatable themes like family, creativity, and self-expression, ensuring broad appeal.
• Sustaining Engagement: Maintaining high engagement in a saturated digital space was a challenge. By blending interactive elements with compelling narratives and platform-optimized formats, we kept audiences consistently engaged.

Key Features That Set Us Apart:

• High production values with vibrant, family-friendly aesthetics.
• Content designed to spark creativity and foster hands-on engagement.
• Seamless, organic integration of Crayola products into relatable stories.
• Tailored content strategy aligned with YouTube's evolving trends and viewer behaviors.

Results

Crayola Create exceeded all objectives, delivering exceptional results that highlight the transformative power of branded content combining heart, purpose, and innovation. Our goal was to inspire creativity, foster engagement, and authentically integrate Crayola products—and the outcomes surpassed expectations.

1. Unprecedented Impact: The series achieved over 600 million views and 652K subscribers, earning the YouTube Silver Play Button—all in under seven months. These metrics reflect meaningful engagement: viewers didn’t just watch; they connected, created, and shared.

2. Seamless Brand Integration: Crayola’s presence is subtle yet central, woven into vibrant, real-world narratives that inspire families and individuals to create together.

3. Creative Excellence: High production values—from vibrant cinematography to platform-specific optimization—set new benchmarks for branded content, resonating with a diverse global audience.

4. Strategic Innovation: By consolidating content creation and social strategy under one roof, the partnership maintained agility, creativity, and consistency across YouTube, setting a new standard for digital partnerships.

5. Cultural Relevance: The series captured global audiences by aligning with cultural moments and platform trends. From holiday-themed crafts to viral challenges, it delivered content viewers genuinely wanted to engage with.

6. Lasting Legacy: Beyond metrics, Crayola Create cultivates a vibrant community of creators, strengthens brand loyalty, and redefines what branded content can achieve.

Ultimately, Crayola Create didn’t just meet its objectives—it set a new industry standard, leaving a lasting impact on Crayola’s digital presence and brand identity.

Media