Crayon company Crayola moves into original content production, with adaptation of ‘Finn Caspian’ podcast

Victoria Lozano

Crayon company Crayola is moving into entertainment space with the launch of an original content division to produce shows for kids and families.

Crayola Studios aims to explore “the limitless possibilities of children’s creativity” and will “[leverage] color as an intrinsic element of the story.”

Crayola’s EVP of marketing, Victoria Lozano, will oversee the content slate, with support from Goatfish Agency, which was founded by Rick Glankler, Fremantle’s former president and general manager, kids & family entertainment. Crayola’s sister company Hallmark Media will also support the initiative.

Crayola Studios already has a pipeline of shows in development, with the first project in the works an adaptation of the podcast The Alien Adventures Of Finn Caspian, as a co-development with MIMO Studios. The new division is looking to partner with production companies, animation studios and IP owners, such as MIMO, to create content to air on kids broadcast platforms worldwide.

Brad Birch will write the 52 x 11-minute series, which is an adaptation of Gen-Z Media’s kids podcast about an eight-year-old who explores space with his friends. The podcast was launched in 2016 and has released 12 seasons and 260 episodes, with more than 24 million downloads. It has also been adapted into a series of books.

“As world leaders in creative self-expression, the establishment of Crayola Studios is a logical next step for us, it builds on plans announced last year to develop entertainment content that inspires and nurtures the next generation and helps them develop lifelong creative mindsets,” said Lozano.

“Our unique perspective offers an exciting opportunity for the industry as it searches for stand out new and trusted content that has creativity at its heart.”