Podcast Summary: The Speed of Culture Podcast

Episode: “Color theory: Crayola’s Victoria Lozano believes creativity is our greatest skill in an AI-driven world”

Host: Matt Britton (Founder & CEO of Suzy, in partnership with Adweek)
Guest: Victoria Lozano (Chief Marketing Officer, Crayola)
Date: September 11, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features a compelling conversation with Victoria Lozano, CMO of Crayola, about the enduring and evolving role of creativity in an age where artificial intelligence and digital transformation are reinventing the landscape for brands, education, and society. Lozano discusses how Crayola is broadening its aperture beyond crayons, adapting its innovation to modern audiences, and why fostering creativity is crucial not only for childhood development but also for lifelong adaptability and wellness.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Creativity as a Core Human Skill in an AI World

• Rapid Societal and Technological Change:
  • Victoria and Matt reflect on how technological advances, particularly AI, are reshaping the skills needed to thrive.
  • Victoria Lozano (01:30, 03:46):

    "There's no way to predict what the jobs are going to be in the future ... but there's no question that things are evolving at an incredibly fast pace and that technology ... is playing an increasingly important role in our lives. And that is precisely why the importance of understanding what creativity is and how to nurture it."

• Creativity as “AI-proof”:
  • The consensus: Creativity is uniquely human, equipping individuals and society to handle any uncertain future.
  • Matt Britton (03:09):

    "...creativity is one of the traits and skill sets that in so many ways is uniquely human and AI-proof."

2. Crayola’s Evolving Brand: Beyond Coloring Inside the Lines

• Historical Perspective:
  • Crayola’s roots lie in fostering inventors, solvers, and innovators—even at its founding 122 years ago.
  • Victoria Lozano (06:02):

    "The founders ... believed that America as a country was not gonna be successful based on what was made, but ... on having the best inventors, solvers, innovators. They believed that creativity and hands on creative experiences is what helped develop that life skill."

• Modern Mission:
  • The company’s purpose and product portfolio have expanded to include not just products, but immersive experiences and content.
  • Victoria Lozano (09:38):

    "We like to think about the Crayola brand ... in a framework of products, experiences, and content ... at the end of the day, an average consumer will have a experience with all those as multiple touchpoints across the brand."

3. Innovation and Engaging New Audiences

• Broadening Audience Reach:
  • Crayola’s offerings now serve not just children, but also adults, educators, and families, tapping into creativity as an emotional and wellness tool.
  • Notable Statistic (12:53):

    "[O]ver 50% of our purchases happened in households with no kids present."

• Wellness and Re-centering:
  • Adult engagement with creative activities is likened to meditation, helping reduce stress and promote emotional well-being.
  • Victoria Lozano (14:22):

    "It's recentering, it's inspirational. And also frankly, we know that there's a lot of links to wellness involved in terms of doing it."

4. Navigating Generational Shifts (Especially Gen Alpha)

• Gen Alpha’s Short Attention and Digital Natives:
  • Products, experiences, content now have to bridge physical and digital realms to stay relevant for younger, digitally native consumers.
  • Victoria Lozano (20:22):

    "...No matter what your way in is, it is still around, celebrating, nurturing, showcasing the incredible value and impact of creativity."

5. Campaign for Creativity: Crayola’s Brand Purpose in Action

• Purpose-driven Campaigns:
  • The “Campaign for Creativity” positions creativity as a vital life skill and seeks to spark a cultural conversation around it.
  • Victoria Lozano (22:13):

    "It’s really around focus on a broader societal, cultural conversation around what creativity is, why it matters, how we think about it as truly a life skill ... This is not just a marketing campaign. This is truly an effort to change and impact culture."

• Current Activation:
  • Second chapter spotlights a nine-year-old named Cadence’s artwork, inviting global participation in a shared creative act.

6. Evolving Role of the CMO and Marketer

• Changing Media and Consumer Engagement:
  • Brand storytelling must adapt to fragmentation and personalization, moving away from traditional mass-market advertising.
  • Victoria Lozano (24:33, 31:24):

    "The way we go to market is absolutely different. It's so much more fragmented and ... faster moving than ever before." "...in this world of marketing fragmentation, it does get more complicated, but also gives you a lot more opportunity to relate to that specific audience in the way that makes sense for them."

7. Advice for Young Marketers

• Soft Skills and Creative Mindset:
  • The most valued marketers are those who can learn quickly, challenge ideas, and problem-solve creatively—the latter being harder to develop later in life.
  • Victoria Lozano (27:03):

    “It’s a lot of those softer skill sets that actually make a difference between someone who is technically good and someone who could ... bring them to life and market in a way that is just better, stronger and more compelling.”

8. Memorable Closing Mantra

• Elasticity of Human Capacity:
  • Adaptability and the ability to confront uncertainty are central to Victoria's philosophy.
  • Victoria Lozano (32:53):

    "...Human capacity grows ... your ability to tackle whatever you are faced with is flexible ... There's not a lot of things as elastic as the human mind or the human spirit."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Creativity and AI:
  • Matt Britton (03:09):

    “The world's going to reward those who color outside the lines, because AI can color inside the lines.”

• Historical Insight:
  • Victoria Lozano (06:02):

    “America ... was gonna be successful based on having the best inventors, solvers, innovators. And they believe that creativity and hands-on creative experiences is what helped develop that as a life skill.”

• Market Statistic:
  • Victoria Lozano (12:53):

    “Over 50% of our purchases happened in households with no kids present.”

• On Adult Creativity:
  • Victoria Lozano (14:22):

    “It’s recentering, it's inspirational. And also frankly, we know that there's a lot of links to wellness involved in terms of doing it.”

• On Shifting from Advertising to Content:
  • Matt Britton (30:55):

    “Advertising was all about... those USPs that you'd force into advertising ... and now we are in a world where we have to be consumer centric and we have to think about the consumer first.”

• Parting Mantra:
  • Victoria Lozano (32:53):

    “Human capacity grows ... your ability to tackle whatever you are faced with is flexible ... there's not a lot of things as elastic as the human mind or the human spirit.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Creativity as the Ultimate Human Advantage – 01:30–05:18
• Crayola’s Historical Mission & Modern Relevance – 06:02–09:38
• Innovation, Expansion, and Surprising Audience Insights – 09:38–13:52
• Creativity for Adults: Well-being & Permission to Play – 13:52–16:35
• The Power of “Little C” Moments – 16:35–18:09
• Gen Alpha & Product Innovation – 19:48–21:43
• Campaign for Creativity Deep Dive – 22:13–24:02
• The Changing Role of Marketers & Advice for New Talent – 24:33–30:03
• From Advertising to Content & Personalization – 30:55–32:19
• Closing Mantra: Elasticity of the Human Spirit – 32:53–34:24

Tone and Takeaways

In the words of Victoria Lozano, creativity is not merely a skill; it is a mindset that will empower individuals and societies to thrive in an unpredictable future. Crayola’s mission is less about the color in the crayon and more about the colors we bring into the world, by making creativity accessible, valued, and celebrated at every age. The discussion is at once practical and inspiring—a call for lifelong creative engagement, both personally and collectively.