People often refer to all colors of crayon as “crayola,” regardless of its manufacturer. This level of brand identification is a valuable asset that Crayola has been able to leverage over the years. The American company found in the toy sector an alternative to expand beyond the field of stationery and stay in the minds of buyers throughout the year, not just during the school season.
In addition, to preserve the essence of the brand, they developed game kits that not only encourage creativity, but also include their colored products to paint animals, make crayons or create adhesive figures.
“Before, a large part of our sales depended on the back-to-school season. What we have achieved now is not to depend on a single season and, instead, participate in the toy market, which allows us to stay relevant from late from June to mid-January,” says Adrián Romero, Crayola’s marketing director for Mexico and Latin America.
The general director of the company adds that they plan to close the year with a sales growth of 27% compared to the previous year. Looking at the categories in detail, stationery will see a 30% growth, the alternative product line will grow by 15%, and Crayola Toys will see a 70% increase, thanks to consumer brand recognition.
Towards 2024, the manager predicts that the pace of growth will slow slightly, but he still expects growth of more than 20%.
Increase production
Crayola México operates a plant in Cuautitlán Izcalli, State of Mexico, where it manufactures wax crayons. From this facility, the company exports 65% of its production to destinations such as Japan, the United States and Latin America. To meet growing demand, the company plans to add new assembly lines next year for marker manufacturing.
Jorge García de León emphasizes that Mexico is the third most important subsidiary for the company due to its proximity to the United States and other destination markets for its product shipments. The goal is to improve availability, and with the expansion of the plant, “we will be able to keep up with consumers and access these products much faster, with local assembly in Mexico,” he says.