The outdoor and indoor activities of our childhoods are combined. Crayola and basketball brand Spalding are joining forces in a new licensing pact to make colorful basketballs and other outdoor accessories.
“With a focus on growing the game of basketball to a younger audience, we wanted to lean into a creative partnership to help reach kids who may be picking up a basketball for the first time,” says Ben Simms, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Spalding. “At Spalding, we want kids to be outside, playing sports, tapping into their imagination, and Crayola was a natural partner that shares these similar values.”
Spalding will officially launch the partnership with Crayola with “Doodles to Dribbles,” a design-your-own-basketball activation. The campaign will run from Nov. 15-Dec. 15, with three winning designs being recreated in one-of-a-kind samples and sent directly to winners.
“Crayola celebrates creativity because we believe it is fundamental to developing skills like adaptability, problem-solving, and self-confidence, on and off the court,” says April Heeren, Crayola General Manager for Domestic Outbound Licensing. “This partnership with Spalding will inspire kids to get their game on through colorful self-expression and innovative play.”
The collection launches Nov. 15 with a Colors of Kindness basketball and a green Crayola crayon-inspired pump available exclusively at spalding.com.
In March 2024, the rest of the collection will be available on spalding.com and select retailers ranging from $24.99 to $199.99.
