Observed Signal · Apr 23, 2026 · Podcast Episode · Source: Adweek · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Victoria Lozano Repositions Crayola for Adult Consumers
In a Marketing Vanguard podcast recorded live at Brandweek in Atlanta, Victoria Lozano (former CMO of Crayola) outlines how legacy brands can find new growth by merging nostalgia with contemporary cultural relevance. Lozano describes a strategic shift at Crayola toward category expansion and segmented messaging, noting that 57% of Crayola purchases are now made by adults without children and that adult wellness and self-expression are driving new use cases. She advocates for branded sensory identity, ecosystem thinking over siloed business units, and positioning the CMO as a cultural advocate to reshape how creativity is valued across audiences.
Provides practical brand-strategy insights showing how legacy consumer brands can unlock new segments (adult consumers) and revenue by repositioning and expanding categories—useful to marketers but not industry-shifting.
Track Paramount Signals & Market Shifts in Real-Time
Polaris7 autonomous intelligence agents track regulatory filings, primary sources, executive changes, and deal flow 24/7. Create your free Explorer workspace to monitor these entities.
Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Marketing Vanguard podcast episode (recorded live at Brandweek) featured Victoria Lozano discussing Crayola's brand strategy.
- Victoria Lozano is described in the article as former (then-) CMO of Crayola with prior Fortune 500 CPG experience including HBC.
- 57% of Crayola purchases are reported to be made by adults from households without children.
- Crayola repositioned adult coloring toward wellness and self-expression, expanding that segment ~3 percentage points year-over-year.
- Episode highlights include merging nostalgia with cultural relevance, segmented messaging per stakeholder group, and building branded sensory identity.
Connected Companies & Entities
1 Entity mappedOntology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Crocs CMO on Turning 'Ugly' into Cultural Cool
Terence Reilly, CMO of Crocs, outlines his brand-transformation playbook in an episode of Adweek’s Marketing Vanguard. He describes how Crocs leaned into criticism and memetic culture, used frontline employee insights (including an intern spotting Post Malone wearing Crocs) to create viral moments, and applied a “fail fast” approach to scale bold creative risks. Reilly also references prior brand work—including a Stanley TikTok campaign credited with $50 million in incremental revenue and 100 million views—and argues for empowering junior staff, reframing criticism as opportunity, and recapturing brand narratives amid collaboration fatigue and rising AI usage in marketing.
Lego CMO Julia Goldin: Saying No Strengthens Brand
Adweek's Marketing Vanguard at Cannes series features an on-stage conversation between host Jenny Rooney and Julia Goldin, Chief Marketing and Product Officer at Lego. Recorded live at Cannes 2026 and presented in partnership with Edelman, the discussion covers how Lego evolved from a children's toy maker into a multi-generational creative experience by protecting brand authenticity, making disciplined choices (including saying no), accepting risk and learning from mistakes. Goldin discusses product accessibility for time‑pressed adults, technology-enhanced play via Lego SmartPlay, and how large partnerships (e.g., Formula 1, World Cup campaigns) can transcend product launches to build cultural relevance.
DTC brands find growth with older customers
Direct-to-consumer brands Little Spoon and Boarderie report meaningful growth from older consumers — especially grandparents and Boomer women — and are adjusting marketing strategies accordingly. Little Spoon says grandparents have become a passionate segment (3% of its customers are over 50) and logged about 300 grandparent-related customer conversations in the past 18 months, prompting targeted content and influencer tests. Boarderie, launched in 2021, found its core customers skew toward Boomer moms and shifted creative, copy, and channel emphasis (notably on Meta/Instagram) to better resonate with older buyers; Women 65+ were its single largest purchase group in Q4 last year, producing 150% more volume than younger cohorts and a 66% higher click-through rate. Both brands are pursuing influencer partnerships and brand collaborations to reach older audiences.
Track Real-Time Market Signals & Shifts
Set up custom watchlists to receive automated, evidence-grounded executive digests whenever material signals or shifts occur across your tracked landscape.