Unless you have refused to watch, listen to, or read the news over the last few months (and who can blame you if you did), you know that there is a great controversy around wearing masks. Despite the calls from some politicians to forgo them, retail chains are getting on board.
Just this week, Walmart and Kroger announced that they are requiring some kind of face-covering to enter the store. They along Costco, BJ’s, Best Buy, CVS, Kohls, Publix, Sams and Target have an oversized on impact on American attitudes, so despite some of the current complaining, we can expect face masks to be a part of our lives for some time to come.
That’s why I think the Crayola face masks are so right for the moment. They are brightly colored, they are funny, they are whimsical, and above all they are playful. Think of them as a play platform, a form of dress-up, a collectible, and even an alter-ego.
And designing a five-pack is, in my estimation, genius. By creating a 5-pack, School Maskpack and Crayola sell more per child as well as immediately dominate the emerging category of kid’s masks. Not only that, children with Crayola masks are walking advertisements for crayons and other Crayola products.
The toy industry has intellectual property to spare, and much of it will work with masks. And not just for kids, what adult wouldn’t want to wear a Monopoly Mr. Moneybags mask?
We all hope that face masks never become a permanent form of apparel, but until the Coronavirus epidemic is over, they are going to be a big part of our lives. Good for Crayola and School Maskpack for taking advantage of the moment.
