The art of box redesigns

I have long argued that the box has been the most important aspect when it comes to breakfast cereal. No other food has been sold more on the basis of its packaging than with cereal, and the designs and characters found on cereal boxes have had a profound effect on our psyches and the larger culture.

Over the years we have seen every cereal brand update its boxes with fresh designs and artwork; however, most of the time the changes are incremental, providing more of an evolution than a true transformation. It is recognized that boxes have to keep up with the times (and competition), keeping consumers engaged.

So, while change is a constant, two recent prominent cereal box redesigns have caught my attention. Very recently, actually in the last few days, I came across a fresh new look for Kellogg's Froot Loops. Up to this point, most of the heavily sugared, "fun" cereals have been cartoonish, touting largely flat designs and solid colors. This latest edition is bold and energizing, placing emphasis on the mascot (i.e. Toucan Sam) and not on the cereal name, and giving him a much more realistic 3-D look. Even the bowl of cereal is different than what is typical, showing a side view of a glass bowl, jumping with excitement. I'm assuming we'll see many other Kellogg cereals adopt this style, and that should really make them pop on the shelves. Good job, Kellogg!

Another redesign has also recently been noted. This time it is not one of the big brands, but a smaller company that focuses on organic, health food cereals. Canadian-based Nature's Path is the leading independent brand in this segment, and has carved out a significant presence in most grocery stores across North America. Obviously, they are going for a different look than Froot Loops, focusing on natural ingredients and messaging that reinforces their health orientation. With the changes they have announced, they are moving away from a more serious look to one that is somewhat less stuffy. This is accomplished with new layouts, stronger colors and more irreverent typeface. While in an interview with Packaging Design they gush over the changes, I'm not convinced the new boxes are all that they could be. In many ways, the new design is too busy, distracting from the serious cereals that Nature's Path is selling. The company also has a sub-brand, Envirokidz, targeted to children. These boxes are getting a new look as well, and these seem a much better fit.

Again, these are just two examples of many box redesigns we have seen over the years. But, they illustrate the challenge that companies have in doing this. It is certainly not as easy as it seems, and the ultimate tests will be consumer reaction and sales. Having said that, however, very few of these design changes really make a big difference, as most companies are much too timid to try something truly "out of the box." There are some exceptions, however. Two of the best cereal box transformations that I have seen in recent years come from Kellogg-owned Kashi and Britain's Good Grain. Kashi went super simple focusing on a super-enlarged cereal piece on each white-spaced box, giving a distinct appearance. Good Grain demonstrated how to move away from a conventional cereal box also with greater simplicity, and pronounced color schemes.

Changing cereal boxes is not by itself going to turn the tide of declining sales, but if cereal companies want to revitalize this industry, one important strategy is to focus more on the box, and the messages these important vehicles send to consumers looking for something interesting.

The Trix behind classic cereals

Big news in the cereal world today, as General Mills announced that they would be bringing back Trix with all the artificial flavors and colors you used to love, although no word yet on any change to the sugar content. It was just two years ago that General Mills announced the move to remove these artificial ingredients, as part of a longer trend of making their cereals more healthful. "Classic" Trix is not a limited time promotion, but will sit permanently next to the more tame, "natural" Trix on grocers shelves.

Obviously, the move to a greater health focus has a downside. In the effort to satisfy critics of highly sugared cereals targeted to kids, interest in these beloved breakfast brands has decreased. The newer Trix recipe is much more bland and less interesting, or "boring" as I called it in my review. Despite all the altruism, it was apparent to General Mills that people really want the bright and flavorful version embedded in most people's memories. In a time when cereal sales are sagging (evidenced by other news today that General Mills' profits have declined due to weaker cereal revenues), it was time to go back to what worked in the past.

The initial reaction by consumers has been extremely positive, although some hoped that the one-time popular fruit shapes would return as well, something that General Mills said may still happen. For cereal enthusiasts, this move today is very significant, and provides hope that the good old days of cereal fun may return. We have seen many examples before by General Mills and others of using vintage packaging to tap into nostalgia, and in some cases, successful cereals of the past have been reintroduced, such as Post's recent relaunch of Oreo O's. But, to go back to a previous, less healthy recipe, is largely unheard of. I have long held that reintroducing classic cereals could be a boon for cereal manufacturers, even if these were limited editions. Maybe today's move will inspire other reintroductions.

There is a problem, however. What if these classic recipes take off (as they certainly will), overshadowing their healthier shelf-mates? General Mills and others will have no business choice, but to keep the older formulas, and drop the less interesting newer varieties. In other words, this is the New Coke versus Classic Coke dilemma of the 1980's, but with cereal. The problem is that this puts General Mills back into the crosshairs of those who believe that highly-sugared cereal with artificial ingredients should not be sold, or at least not targeted to children.

No matter how the future unfolds, today's reintroduction of Classic Trix is a significant move in the ongoing cereal saga.

The expanding world of cereal lines

Our recent report of interesting, new Post Shredded Wheat varieties was a good reminder of how the bulk of new cereals (not including limited edition one-offs) coming out today are extensions of existing lines. At one time, during cereals' heyday, almost every new cereal was launched as its own brand. Those days are long over, with very few new cereal brands introduced by the major players. In fact, when General Mills launched Tiny Toast last year they proudly claimed that it was the first new brand in 15 years, a position I challenged at the time. Interestingly, just a couple of months ago that experiment quickly ended, as the two Tiny Toasts were absorbed into the Toast Crunch line.

In many ways this makes sense, as people are less loyal to or interested in the cereal companies themselves, and it is difficult for new brands to stand out. Consumers gravitate to known and trusted brands, and line extensions are a convenient way for companies to introduce new cereals. If you want to make a chocolate flavored cereal, instead of trying to drum up a new brand, just piggy back on an existing one like Cheerios, or Shredded Wheat. It seems now that virtually every permanent cereal line has been extended to some extent, with some of the more notable ones being Cheerios (13 varieties), Honey Bunches of Oats (12 varieties), Special K (17 cereals plus other food products), and Chex (8 varieties). We also see special edition and seasonal cereals joining lines for a short period on such brands as Cap'n Crunch and Pebbles.

While we still have tons of cereal brands to choose from, in reality the number has basically levelled off. Instead, we have super-brands that dominate grocery store shelves and consumers minds. This makes it much more difficult for new brands to get noticed, but on the other hand, could be a tremendous opportunity for an exciting new brand that wants to disrupt the market.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch is Hitting the Road

We all know cereal sales have slumped. People are just not shopping the cereal aisle of the grocery store. So, what does a cereal company do? Go to the consumer.

General Mills announced today that they will be going on a road trip this summer with a portable Drive Thru promoting Cinnamon Toast Crunch, currently their brand getting the most creative marketing campaigns. This pop up pit stop is targeted to people on road trips, with the first one showing up this weekend at the Grand Canyon. Travellers can sample the cereal, which will include special recipe concoctions. While their press release does not explicitly say so, it sounds like we could see the big cereal box and milk carton in other prominent tourist locations across the U.S. over the next two months.

Again, General Mills has been doing some fun marketing with Cinnamon Toast Crunch, including a selfie spoon offer, among other things. While limited in scope and actual reach, campaigns like this can contribute to a greater brand profile and buzz. Interestingly, General Mills' European partner, Nestle, has also been experimenting with pop-up promotions in malls in Ireland.

So, watch for this new Drive Thru coming to a tourist trap near you this summer. Where would you like to see one?

Design Matters

Over the years I have, at times, highlighted noteworthy design changes in cereal boxes. In a crowded grocery story aisle, it is critical that a brand have a clear identity that stands out from the competition. Unfortunately, many cereals suffer from either bad design or being stuck in decades old time warp. This is puzzling, especially considering the struggles that the cereal industry is having. You would think there would be more experimentation and innovation with this aspect.

Every once in a while, however, a cereal company breaks the mold and does something fresh with design. For example, recently, we have seen this with the new look at Kashi. And, now another great example rises to the forefront from the United Kingdom. There, the Good Grain brand has gone through a recent transformation, and it looks great!

As you can see in the before and after photos of one of their cereals, they have a adopted a simplistic look that is bright, fun and captivating. Previously, as is typical with most cereals, the box was cluttered with a lot of text, and the obligatory decked-out bowl of cereal. The new design has been radically cleaned-up, and seems to leap off the shelf into the shopping cart.

I hope more cereal companies are paying attention to these design changes. Again, this is an area they seem to have ignored in their quest to turn around sagging cereal sales. It is not the full solution, but it would go a long way to improve the image of these breakfast staples.

(Source: Brand New)

Moving the cereal aisle to the produce section

Recently there were reports that Kellogg cereals were starting to show up alongside fruits and vegetables in Meijer's grocery stores. So far this seems limited to the Midwest grocer, but it could very well be a way for Kellogg to reposition cereals in a new way by associating them with fresh and healthful foods. Of course, adding fruit to your breakfast bowl has long been a way to enhance your cereal, but now the connection is being made more deliberately, perhaps even to the extent of suggesting that you can enhance your produce with cereal.

This is likely a marketing test for now, but it will be interesting to see if cereal companies continue trying these types of efforts to raise the profile of a food that is in need of rejuvenation.

(Source: Quartz)

The Selfie Spoon

Creative, viral marketing could provide a great boost for cereal companies, and it appears that General Mills might be on to something.

Building on the success of their wildly popular Cinnamon Toast Crunch they have come up with a Selfie Stick that will make it easier for you to take a photo of yourself eating your favorite cereal (i.e. CTC). What makes this selfie stick stand out is that it has a spoon on one end, providing the perfect combination that will allow you to engage in your social media promotion while having breakfast. I'm sure we've all wondered how we could make this happen. Right?

The best part of this new marketing novelty is that it is free, except for shipping and handling. The only problem is that it is sold out (no surprise) on their website, but the promise is that more are coming. Just keep checking.  

Fun!

Kellogg goes dark

Summer has kept me busy and somewhat behind, but some interesting cereal tings have been popping up. One of those over the last month or so has been the appearance of a new marketing campaign from Kellogg that reinforces what many already know: cereal is a great snack food, especially at night.

This is more than just a few ads highlighting the convenience and taste of cereal for those with late-night cravings. They have gone all out with special night-themed cereal boxes for a number of their brands, and displays in stores. This will be a limited-time campaign but it is a way for Kellogg to remind those who have perhaps lost interest in cereal that it's not just for breakfast. This fits well into efforts to expand sales and with Kellogg's own foray into snack foods with other brands.

What's your favorite cereal for night-time snacking?

When all else fails change the box

A regular topic on this blog over the years concerns the struggles of General Mills' Wheaties and the various attempts to revitalize this brand. So far nothing has really worked.

With Wheaties' sports emphasis it's no surprise that they just unveiled two new boxes featuring two Sochi gold medalists. Even though General Mills is not an official sponsor of the Olympics they are capitalizing on the athletes themselves, this time Mikaela Shiffrin and Sage Kotsenburg. This post-Olympics strategy has been going on for quite some time, 2012 and 2010 as recent examples.

The story here, however, is not more Wheaties boxes with athletes on them. It is that this is an opportunity for General Mills to highlight a major redesign of the core Wheaties box itself, the first such move in many years. In actuality they released a generic version of the new design back in the fall, but now with these star athletes the fresh look is fully expressed and promoted.

The boxes have a new energy to them, with a revamped wordmark all brighter and gradient oranges, all obviously targeted to a younger audience. The boxes definitely will stand out more on the grocery store shelf.

But, will this new look result in more sales and a rejuvenated brand? Only time will really tell.

UPDATE: The Wall Street Journal featured an article the same day on Wheaties' struggle, including a quote from yours truly. Unfortunately, they got the quote partly wrong, as I was referring to the now discontinued Wheaties Fuel, not the base Wheaties. So, Wheaties lovers relax. I know there are some of you out there!

It's about the Meal

There has been much talk about the decline in cereal sales and the challenge that provides to cereal companies. There are many options available to consumers today, and decreasingly is conventional cereal one of them.

General Mills, like the other big companies, is trying various strategies to turn people back to cereal and their brands in particular. One of their more interesting recent attempts is to change the focus from cereal to families eating together, something that rarely happens today at breakfast. The Family Breakfast Project is "a way to help you get creative about your morning – to make it easier, more fun and meaningful". The idea is that if people put more focus on breakfast as a family meal, cereal will be a more frequent choice than the quick, grab-and-run options that are appearing.

Changing the conversation might just be what really needs to happen for cereal's future.

Super Bowl for Cheerios

General Mills continues their aggressive assault against the slide in cereal popularity. This year we've seen the focused use of social media, a willingness to be controversial, the return of the entire monster cereal family, and cereal box premiums, among other things. Their latest tactic is the announcement that the 2014 Super Bowl will include a Cheerios commercial, the first for the brand and something unusual for cereals overall. While details on the commercial are still secret, indications are that it will focus on "the power of family love and the important role that Cheerios and breakfast can play in building family connections".

We'll be watching.



Return of the Free Prizes?

Those of us who grew up in the 50's, 60's or 70's know that a fun part of breakfast cereal was the free prize inside many boxes. This was a marketing ploy that really worked, drawing in kids and sometimes adults to get a small toy, sports card, etc.

Cereal premiums still show up from time to time, but rarely. General Mills, who already is on a roll this year with some great new marketing initiatives, is offering free Stars Wars Pens in specially marked boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Reese’s Puffs, Golden Grahams, Cocoa Puffs, Trix and Lucky Charms. The eight different pens are each based around a character in the Star Wars movies, and will likely be in demand by the many movie fans and collectors out there, especially as we all anticipate the final trilogy, currently in production.

Hopefully this will see more free prizes in cereal boxes. I'm not sure why they ever went out of fashion. Perhaps it was an extra cost companies didn't want to absorb, or maybe they felt consumers were too sophisticated. But, at a time when cereal companies have to innovate to stand out this could be a winning strategy for the industry and for children building memories with little plastic toys.

Digital cereal experiences

One of the main reasons for cereal's success is the experience it has provided people at the breakfast table over the years. And, we're not talking about the cereal itself, but the boxes, promotions, and even premiums accompanying it.

Times are changing, and innovation is essential. About one and a half years ago General Mills announced that they were working on enhancing their products with digital content. (Others have previously considered other ideas, such as bringing hi-tech boxes to our tables). In a new promotion with Wheaties, General Mills is delivering on one such digital experience. Partnering with the mobile app, Blippar, it is possible to have an augmented reality experience while eating the breakfast of champions. 

Gimmicky? Yes. But, a valuable experiment nonetheless. Credit is due to General Mills for being the leader in leveraging popular consumer technologies to enhance their products. They have been doing it with social media, and now this. Very promising.

Lucky Charms expand the rainbow

Last week General Mills released their quarterly earnings, and among many announcements indicated that they would be bolstering their cereal line with new products and stronger advertising. Well, the marketing efforts are already underway with such things as a new focus online. But, the marketing strategy that is getting the most attention is their new outreach to the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community.

Obviously, the recent attention given to marriage equality and other LGBT rights is part of a massive social shift taking place around us. Regardless of where you stand on these issues, one cannot deny that change is happening before our eyes. As a result, more and more companies are jumping on the bandwagon, trying to take advantage of the purchasing power of this segment of the population.

General Mills' tactic is Lucky Charms and the #LuckytoBe campaign, just in time for Pride month. Building on the rainbow marshmallows in Lucky Charms they are encouraging LGBT individuals to celebrate who they are, and this is being heavily promoted at Pride parades and online.

In many ways this is a bold and risky move for General Mills. This has the ability to both strengthen their  public relations among the LGBT and their supporters, and to alienate those who find these societal changes offensive. The company must believe that the trends are on their side. Interestingly, this is the second somewhat provocative marketing tactic from the company this year. At minimum the company is getting lots of attention.

From a purely cereal perspective, the use of Lucky Charms seems somewhat strange, at least on the surface. Why would they use what has been largely a kid's cereal in this campaign? The answer is in some market research that General Mills also recently announced. Apparently Lucky Charms is one of their strongest brands, and has become particularly popular with adults.

So, Lucky Charms is being re-branded, and will no longer be same. How will consumers and other cereal companies respond?

Controversial Cheerios

Cheerios is one of the most loved and venerated brands of cereal. At least until this week.

Cheerios has come out with a new TV commercial, "Just Checking", that is designed to highlight its heart health characteristics. The commercial is cute and even tugs at you heart a little.

There is one catch, however. The family featured in the commercial is biracial, and that has sparked controversy among a small, but vocal, segment of the population. So much so that comments on the YouTube page had to be shut down because of the nasty responses. The video has had over 3 million views there so far, and the number of thumbs-up exceed the thumbs-down by over 20 times. General Mills is standing by the commercial.



It's hard to believe that in 2013 an ad featuring an interracial family generates that type of reaction since it is a prevalent reality in American society. Nevertheless, it is a bold marketing move, and intended or not, Cheerios is getting tons of publicity.

Kellogg settles lawsuit

Consumers and regulators alike are demanding more honesty from companies, and the latest sign of that is the announcement that Kellogg has agreed to pay $4 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over health claims it made for Mini-Wheats. At the time it was stated that the cereal would increase children's attentiveness, among other things. This story actually has its beginnings four years ago when the company settled with the Federal Trade Commission over the same issue. And, Kellogg is not first company to get their hand slapped for inappropriate health claims. For example, General Mills got in trouble with the FDA for its cholesterol claims for Cheerios.

In an ever increasingly competitive cereal market companies are looking for an edge. In recent years it has been over the health benefits of its cereals. The danger is that it is easy to step over the line with claims that are hyped or exaggerated to draw attention.

It was much more fun when cereal companies attracted customers through creativity with cereal recipes, boxes, free toys and special offers!

By the way, customers can submit a claim for refund at www.cerealsettlement.com

(Source: Huffington Post)

Cereal lovers, get social

Social media is changing our world, and cereal is not immune from this trend. While this has been happening for a few years now, it is fair to say that apart from a number of Facebook page and Twitter accounts cereal companies have yet to really capitalize on this technology.

General Mills, however, has recently made an attempt to get ahead of the pack. They recently, quietly introduced Hello, Cereal Lovers, a Tumblr blog "to celebrate all of the reasons people love cereal." But, this is no blatant General Mills marketing ploy. It's much more subtle. In fact, you have to dig deep to find out that the company is behind it, even though it is quite obvious since the only cereal brands featured are from the big G.

Hello, Cereal Lovers is big on photos, and has the layout and content similar to what you would see on Pinterest. It's designed to make cereal not only fun, but also the content sharable on Tumblr or a range of other social media sites.

Despite what one may think of this venture, General Mills should be complimented on their effort and recognition that social media cannot be ignored, even when it comes to cereal.

Kellogg looks for loyalty

A big part of any company's success is customer loyalty. If people like your product and make it a habit to keep buying it you have a winner on your hand.

Earlier this summer Kellogg announced a Family Rewards program intended to get consumers to stick with their products because of the lure of rewards, prizes and special offers. Quite simply many Kellogg's branded products will contain a special code printed inside, You enter the codes on your computer or phone and collect points.

In a highly competitive cereal and snack food marketplace working to obtain customer loyalty is a big feat. I wonder, however, whether most customers could be bothered with the whole process. Sure there are some couponers, etc. who look for this type of thing, but I'm not convinced it will make a difference. In fact, I've seen or heard little buzz about it outside of Kellogg's own promotions.

Real customer loyalty comes not from promotions or gimmicks, but consumers who are passionate about a product. That comes from innovative, strong products backed by strong branding. Kellogg should be focusing more on that.

Crunchy Nut superhero

Maybe it's the recent superhero craze associated with some prominent movies, but Kellogg is jumping on the bandwagon with its introduction of The Crunchy Nut, a superhero whose mission is "to seek out people suffering from dull breakfasts and put the fun back into cereal bowls everywhere." As part of their new campaign he recently appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Obviously a marketing gimmick, but a few noteworthy points. First, it's a mascot for an adult cereal, something we don't typically see. And, it suggests that Kellogg is intent on building the Crunch Nut brand. In fact, they also recently introduced a new Caramel Nut variety.

I haven't tried this new flavor, but I wasn't overly impressed with the first two that I tasted. Nevertheless, the cereals must be getting some traction, and Kellogg must believe that there is a strong future for Crunchy Nut.

Press release here.

Disney drops high sugared cereals

For years I have reported on the growing pressure put on cereal companies for their production and marketing of high-sugared cereals. Companies have responded with healthier cereals and voluntary reduction of advertising.

The powerful Walt Disney Company has recently made a decision that will have significant influence on a wide range of food manufacturers, including cereal. All food products advertised on their entertainment services must meet strict nutritional standards. For cereal this means no more than 10 grams of sugar per serving (although that's kind of nebulous since companies can easily modify suggested serving sizes).

This policy is likely to prompt other media companies to make similar changes.

(Source: New York Times)