Crayola, the brand that inspires creativity through color, announced today that it is introducing a new blue crayon color inspired by the discovery of a “new to the world” blue pigment. YInMn Blue, the vibrant pigment discovered in 2009 by chemist Mas Subramanian and his team at Oregon State University, is the inspiration behind Crayola’s newest crayon color.

“We are a company all about kids, creativity and color, so we strive to keep our color palette innovative and on-trend, which is why we’re excited to introduce a new blue crayon color inspired by the YInMn pigment,” said Smith Holland, CEO and President of Crayola. “The new blue crayon color will help Crayola to continue to inspire kids and kids at heart, to create everything imaginable.”

The partnership between Crayola, Oregon State University and Shepherd Color Company was announced today during an on-campus event where leaders in color, creativity and design joined forces in a panel to discuss the importance of color in everyday life through the many ways science, art and consumer products intersect.

Mas Subramanian, the Milton Harris Chair of Material Science in the College of Science at Oregon State University who discovered the pigment and a panelist said, “It’s truly an honor that our YInMn Blue pigment has inspired one of the most beloved instruments for creativity – a Crayola crayon. We could not imagine a better partner than Crayola, a brand synonymous with color and creativity, to help us share this discovery with the world.”

Dr. Chris Manning, Global Sales and Marketing Manager for The Shepherd Color Company and panelist states, “We are also very excited about our partnership with OSU and Crayola to brighten lives with YInMn Blue. We pride ourselves on being at the leading edge of inorganic color and pigment technology. ”

Crayola is also inviting North America to help name the new blue, which will replace the recently retired Dandelion color across its crayon portfolio. The name submission contest kicks off today at Crayola.com/NewColor and runs through June 2, 2017. Consumers who submit name ideas will be entered for a chance to win one of four weekly prizes.

“Fans in North America have told us through previous polls and surveys that blue is their favorite color. Now, not only will they have a new blue color to fall in love with, but also the opportunity to be a part of Crayola history by naming it,” said Melanie Boulden, Senior Vice President, U.S. and Global Marketing at Crayola. “Starting today we invite fans to unleash the power of their creativity and submit name ideas for the new Crayola blue crayon.”

On July 1, 2017, Crayola will release the top five blue crayon color names at Crayola.com/NewColor. Consumers will then be able to vote on their favorite color and view the real-time, daily voting results. To add to the excitement, voters will be entered for a chance to win one of six grand prizes of an all-expense paid trip for four to the Orlando Crayola Experience and a daily prize of the award-winning Crayola Air Marker Sprayer.

Crayola will unveil the new fan-selected blue crayon color name and the six grand prize winners in early September 2017.  The new blue crayon inspired by Oregon State University’s YInMn blue pigment will begin appearing in Crayola products in late 2017 through early 2018, just in time for holiday gifting.

About Crayola
Crayola LLC, based in Easton, Pa. and a subsidiary of Hallmark Cards, Incorporated, is the worldwide leader in children’s creative expression products. Known for the iconic Crayola Crayon first introduced in 1903, the Crayola brand has grown into a portfolio of innovative art tools, crafting activities and creativity toys that offer children innovative new ways to use color to create everything imaginable. Consumers can find the wide array of Crayola products in the “Crayola Aisle” at all major retailers.  For more information visit www.crayola.com or join the community at www.facebook.com/crayola.

About Oregon State University College of Science
Home to the life, statistical, physical and mathematical sciences, the College of Science is a vibrant scientific community committed to expanding the nation’s intellectual capital and preparing a scientifically literate public. The college is recognized as a national and global center for excellence in research and scholarship, teaching every OSU student and building the next generation of leaders in science. For more information, visit science.oregonstate.edu or follow us on social media at facebook.com/OSUScience or Twitter, @OSUScience.

About Shepherd Color Company
The Shepherd Color Company brings expertise, better performance and best value with a wide range of high-performance Complex Inorganic Color Pigments (CICPs) used in coatings, plastics and specialty materials.  These pigments are an extraordinary class of inorganic materials that offer stable, long-lasting color for many applications because of their unbeatable weatherability, heat and chemical resistance, and ease of dispersion.  With constant advances in color and technology, Shepherd Color brightens life with quality products and the latest innovation that push the edge of the durable color envelope.