Crayola is staple of growing up. It’s a brand that plays a part in the memories of millions all around the world — be that sat at a small classroom table while attempting to colour in within the bold, black page lines on the page, or arguing with siblings about a favourite colour being snapped in half.

It’s a brand that helps provide the foundations of creativity which has given it a rich history. 

At 123 years old, it’s has evolved beyond producing crayons, however. Recently it moved into beauty with its collaboration with make-up brand Clinique that saw the return of the famed Chubby sticks which replicated the look of a chunky, classic crayon that originally launched in 1997. 

Its creative spark continues to transverse across generations and spaces — and for its CMO Sarah Horowitz, the brand is a marketer’s dream.

The Legacy Of An Iconic Brand

Leading the charge for a brand with such an established legacy is no easy feat to take on; for Horowitz, having spent the majority of her career working in FMCG, joining Crayola was a no-brainer. 

She began her career with Louis Vuitton out of University before moving to Ferrero after a year, working across TicTac, Nutella, and Kinder. She would then go onto work at United Biscuits.

Horowitz’ next move was to Kimberly-Clark, where she spent five years leading its Diapers portfolio in the UK and then global innovation of its Tissue businesses. She joined Crayola in July 2025. 

“It’s such a purpose-driven brand; more than 40 per cent of the world’s children live in EMEA, but only 5 per cent of our business is there. The business was also coming back in-house after 20 years of being sold through a distributor, creating an opportunity to drive culture, business growth and purpose. How could I say no to that?

“In FMCG, I worked with a ‘fewer, bigger, better’ mantra, but here it feels like the rulebook has been thrown out – it’s about more and more innovation,” she continues.

Crayola’s legacy as a brand is one of icon status – nine out of 10 parents trust them; and Horowitz revels in the challenge of marketing it across the UK, particularly in the age of emerging technology and AI. 

“The brand is over 120-years-old, and you can’t move away from that iconic green and yellow crayon pack – even the smell when you open it,” she outlines. “The brand mission is about helping parents and teachers raise creatively in children, and that’s very similar to what it was when the brand was established.

“What’s different now is how we deliver that. A stat that always stands out to me is that Generation Alpha, by the time they’re seven, will have spent over a year of their life on screens.” 

While certainly a staggering statistic, Horowitz notes the opportunity it creates for Crayola which, despite mostly being known for it, has a portfolio beyond Crayons. 

“We have core essentials, a toy business, and a wider content ecosystem. That includes a YouTube channel, apps, and US-based entertainment experiences where you can immerse yourself in the brand.”

She continues: “It’s about driving relevance for today’s consumers. At the same time, parents are increasingly short of time, with many households having both parents working. While nine out of ten parents recognise that creativity is important as a life skill, just over half struggle with how to actually nurture it.”

Showing Up In Unexpected Spaces

Crayola’s recent collaboration with Clinique isn’t the first time the brands have joined forces having previously partnered on a promotion in 2017.

“I like that it feels surprising because that helps grab attention and create memorable moments. More importantly, it reinforces that creativity isn’t just for children — it’s about self-expression,” Horowitz explains.