Mini and Crayola have joined forces to explore the imagination of children for the future of automotive design.
Mini has teamed up with Crayola, a leading manufacturer of children’s art supplies, to embark on a journey into the imaginative minds of children with the launch of Mini Minds with Crayola – a competition searching for their visions of the cars of tomorrow.
As the first generation to grow up in a world dominated by electric cars, primary school children are unleashing their imaginations. Research by the companies prior to launching the competition found that 67% of mini designers aged 4-10 said that cars equipped with giant wings for soaring adventures were important to them. 63% liked the idea of electric shape-shifting automobiles that adapt to every need, and 51% chose colour-changing vehicles that reflect the driver’s mood.
Mini and Crayola have launched a competition for children between the ages of four and 10 years, to encourage them to embrace their creativity and provide a platform to explore their ideas and build confidence in their creative abilities.
Young visionaries are invited to submit their designs for the car of the future, whether it’s sleek aerodynamics, eco-friendly technologies, or out-of-this-world features. The winning design will then be turned into reality using vinyl wrap on a Mini Electric, alongside a generous supply of Crayola art materials for the winner and their school plus a private tour of Mini Plant Oxford, to watch the magic as a Mini is built before their eyes.
The research from Mini revealed that 83% of parents feel inspired by their child’s imagination, with nearly four in five keeping boxes full of drawings and ideas as keepsakes. In addition, 59% of parents hope their child will have a career in a creative industry in the future, with two thirds associating a creative career with “happiness”, and two thirds with “fulfilment”.
One in 10 of the children surveyed expressed a desire to be future designers or artists, with two in five saying arts and crafts was their favourite lesson at primary school.
As electric cars take centre stage for the next generation, nearly 59% of the children asked said they were concerned about the environment, with 76% wanting their future car to help protect the planet.
Jade Childs, marketing controller at Crayola, commented: “Crayola is passionate about helping to raise creatively inspired children, and we believe in helping to unleash and celebrate their colourful originality by offering a wide portfolio of innovative art tools, crafting activities and creative toys that give kids the power to express all that inspires them as they explore, discover, play, pretend and dream.”
Crayola has inspired children for more than 100 years, since the first box of Crayola crayons rolled off the assembly line in 1903. “It is exciting to focus forward into the future and glimpse into children’s amazing imagination and their wonderful ideas for what this might look like,” added Jade.
