Giving Sharpie a Bold New Canvas for Expression

Client: Sharpie (Newell Brands)
Services: Creative Strategy • Consumer Insights • Digital Experience • Concept Development • Microsite Pitch

Challenge:
When people think of Sharpie, they often think fun, bold, and expressive—but the brand wanted to dig deeper. They approached our team with a challenge: how can Sharpie go beyond utility to connect emotionally with the next generation of creators?

Approach:
We kicked off the project with consumer insight research that revealed something powerful—Sharpie wasn't just a marker, it was a statement. Users described the brand as a tool that empowered them to create boldly, stand out, and express their identity through art, journaling, activism, and more.

We developed a bold, youth-driven concept anchored in:

• Audience segmentation focused on young creators, students, and makers

• A digital-first campaign pitch, including a concept for an interactive microsite experience

• Messaging that celebrated self-expression and individuality

• A platform where users could share what they created with Sharpie—fostering brand loyalty and a creative community

Results:
The pitch sparked strong client engagement and excitement. Our microsite concept reimagined Sharpie as a platform for creative empowerment, not just a product—positioning the brand to stay relevant with a highly expressive and digitally native audience.

Keywords: brand storytelling, digital marketing strategy, youth branding, consumer insights, content marketing, interactive microsite, CPG marketing, creative empowerment, Gen Z marketing, digital brand experience