Cereal photos

Over the years I have highlighted certain creatives who have used cereal artistically, either as a medium or as a way to reveal the unique nature of this food and its place in our culture. With the rise of social media, and Instagram in particular, several notable individuals are regularly posting some fascinating photos incorporating cereal.

By far the biggest Instagram account of this genre is @mister_krisp, the work of Jessica Siskin. Almost daily she creates some amazing items in the form of Rice Krispies Treats, molded and colored. Her work is both fun and spectacular.

Another example is @travels_with_cheerios, a less frequent contributor, but nonetheless cerealicious. This is the artistic expression of 15 year-old Emma Wezeman. Mixing the sometimes absurd placement of cheerios with beautiful photography this feed makes for an enjoyable addition to what often ends up as fairly routine from other Instagramers.

Check them out, and let us know of any others that you are aware of.

Misleading the way to sales

As first pointed out on this blog 18 months ago, General Mills is playing some games with consumers when it comes to its relatively new Cheerios Protein cereal. While not really lying, they nonetheless manipulated the serving sizes on the cereal compared to regular Cheerios to make it look like the Protein variety has substantially more protein, when in fact the difference is minor.

Others have noticed as well, including the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), who recently launched a class action lawsuit against General Mills alleging false marketing. They point out the protein discrepancy, and reveal that Cheerios Protein also has more sugar.

The sad part in all of this is that in an effort to gain market share companies can sometimes resort to trickery to fool consumers (the recent Volkswagen debacle is another great example). General Mills and other cereal companies need to focus on true innovation if they want to increase (or at least hold on to) sales. They can do it, but these kind of shenanigans are not the way to go.

Startups and Innovation

A few weeks ago General Mills announced the formation of a new business development and venturing unit called 301 INC, designed to help entrepreneurs obtain the capital and resources they need to expand their businesses. 

This is a significant move, as it is a recognition from a large food corporation like General Mills that some of the best innovation comes from creative startups. As I've said here many times before, innovation is absolutely essential for the future of the cereal industry, and with this initiative we are seeing lessons being learned from other industries like high-tech where venture capital investing is all the rage.

Over the years we have watched a number of exciting cereal concepts emerge, but few have survived. Sure some reached a point of success that enabled them to be bought out by bigger companies, but many have perished due to lacking the finances needed to get their ideas off the ground.

Hopefully this will foster some exciting new cereal ideas for the breakfast table.

Review: Kellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats Pumpkin Spice

Thanks to Starbucks Pumpkin Spice has been a popular fad the last several years, but this fall it seems as if everyone has jumped on the bandwagon to take advantage of the annual rite of heading toward winter. Kellogg is one example of a me-too company that hopes to capitalize on this taste frenzy, and has released a Limited Edition of Frosted Mini-Wheats Pumpkin Spice. Is this just another copycat effort, or is it a legitimate cereal? Let's find out.


The whole point behind pumpkin spice is the flavor, and this cereal had better live up to its expectations. Well it does. My biggest fear is that would be laden with artificial flavors or over-dosed with the spices. It does neither. Kellogg uses only natural flavors and their is only a hint of the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice. Just enough to ensure that this is what the box says it is, but allows the mild, lightly sweetened pumpkin taste to come through. Pretty impressive.

Texture for this product is no surprise, as Mini-Wheats are Mini-Wheats. But, the combination with the pumpkin spice flavor is a great combination. Even right out of the box, the grainy nature goes well with it, but after soaking in milk for 5-10 minutes its even better as the smooth texture is a great fit for what we want from pumpkin.

Pumpkin spice has become a hot item because it is a comfort food, and therefore the experience it delivers is critical. Kellogg has made sure to conform this cereal to the larger cultural demands. There's orange frosting, and the box speaks autumn and wholeness. It works.

Cereals that are designed for experience are typically not paragons of healthfulness. But, this one comes pretty close. As they highlight on the box with milk it delivers up to 9g of protein, and like all Mini-Wheats the whole grains provide an excellent source of fiber. With the one exception of the sugar content a little higher than the 20% of weight threshold, this cereal has a well-rounded nutritional profile. Even the sugar content can be forgiven considering the enjoyable, seasonal nature of this product.

What more can I say? If you crave pumpkin spice, this is one cereal you will want to eat. And, because it is a limited edition you may want to stock up. Otherwise it will be an entire year until you can have your fix again!

(Review protocol HERE)

Creative Packaging

Over the years I have highlighted innovations in cereal packaging. If companies are looking to innovate this is definitely one area in which there still is lots of room for creativity and new thinking. Unfortunately, it seems to be difficult for the major players to think "outside the box."

Recently I came across some concept projects developed by a graphic design student, Mun Joo Jane, at the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. She came up with a couple of cereal packaging ideas that truly draw attention. In particular, her Special K package (rebranded as K+), while elaborate, would certainly stand out on the grocery store shelves and at home.

Take a look at this idea, plus a much more austere concept, and tell us what you think: https://www.behance.net/gallery/27278793/Kelloggs-Cereal

I wonder if the cereal companies are paying attention?

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!

Review: Kellogg's Origins

Earlier this year Kellogg announced Origins, a new line intended to tap into the growing market for more natural and healthy cereals, and as attempt to turn around the sales struggles that the company has had. While the six varieties making up the brand have been showing up in stores for several months already, more recently their presence has been noticeable with significant shelf space and deliberate marketing.

It's time to give these cereals a spin in the bowl and see what they're really like. With six different products to choose from, this will not be a detailed and rated review on each product like I've done with other cereals, but a more general overview of how Kellogg is doing with this new venture.

With Origins Kellogg, not quite sure of what will really work, does not want to miss any opportunities. There are actually three categories: cereal, granola and muesli; and two of each of those:

• Fruit & Nut Blend Cereal
• Ancient Grains Blend Cereal
• Raisin Apple Granola
• Cranberry Almond with Pumpkin Seeds Granola
• Apricot Cashew Coconut with Raisins & Almonds Muesli
• Raisin Apricot Cranberry with Pumpkin Seeds Muesli

On first glance Origins products definitely stand out. The Kellogg's name is boldly emblazoned on the front and the red theme gives these products a distinct look apart from what the other big companies are offering at this time. The one puzzling aspect of the packaging is that the Origins story is not as pronounced as it could be. Sure, on the back they talk about "Real food, prepared simply" but more could be done in the overall design to convey the natural, wholesome nature of the cereals. I'm not convinced that the average consumer will pick up on this.

The emphasis with Origins is on wholesome and nutritious. They are clear to point out features like the lack of artificial flavors and hydrogenated oils, and the quantities of fiber and whole grains. While there is a certain simplicity to the ingredient list, the nutritious virtue is not perfect. For example, sugar content is still higher than ideal (> 20% of weight).

From the taste samples that I have had, I can say that these are certainly pleasant eating. Being naturally focused, they don't want overpowering flavors, but the blends they have come up with are tasty. The sweetness level helps as well. But, these are far from knock-out recipes, although the mueslis may be the most interesting.

In the end, Kellogg's Origins are a solid new offering that you should at least try. Whether they turn around Big K's fortunes is yet to be seen, but they may have found a way to attract consumers looking for healthier cereals who might not be ready to jump to their nerdy Kashi line.

Kellogg goes natural too

It was just a few months ago that General Mills announced that they would be eliminating artificial flavors and colors, a big move. Not to be out done, in their recent investor call Kellogg basically announced the same thing, promising to eliminate artificial ingredients by 2018.

This is welcome news for health enthusiasts,and certainly not a surprise for those watching the trends in the cereal industry. It just makes one wonder, how much of this is reactionary in order to maintain market share?

If Kellogg and General Mills are going to reverse the slide in cereal sales they are going to have to do much more than just just eliminating some ingredients.

We keep hoping.

Cereal at the Movies - The Sequel

Recently I posted on the recent proliferation of cereal boxes from General Mills and Kellogg that are movie-themed. As these big companies struggle with their sales and market share working on licensing arrangements with movie studios is a smart move.

Since then, an even more interesting set of movie-themed cereals have shown up, this time from MOM Brands. In case, that doesn't ring a bell, MOM is now the third-largest cereal manufacturer in the U.S. and is mostly known for its Malt-O-Meal brand (and the company's original name), which is largely comprised of mainstream cereal knock-offs. Early this year they were bought by Post.

In partnership with DreamWorks they have launched four new cereals: Shrek Ogre O's, Madasgascar S'mores Jungle Party, Penguins Operation Chocolate Mix, and Dragons Dragon Adventure Crunch. So far these appear to be only available at Walmart.

The significance of these new cereals is that it suddenly propels MOM even further into the big leagues. They are no longer cheap, bagged cereals but are showing that they want to and can compete in the premium brand space too.

Breakfast is getting fun again!

Cereal at the Movies

One of the reasons for my personal fascination with cereal is its close link with pop culture. For decades cereal companies have recognized the emotional connection they could generate by giving bleary eyed consumers some fun at breakfast with cereals and boxes linked with sports figures, cartoons, movies, and more!

Movie-themed cereals, in particular, are not new. They have been a breakfast staple for years. Of course, movie-promotions on existing cereals have been quite common, but things get really exciting when cereal manufacturers go all out in their licensing agreements to create cereals with fun shapes and beautifully crafted boxes. Who can forget a classic like Jurassic Park cereal? And over the years, we have seen others, ranging from Indiana Jones to High School Musical.

In the last six months we have witnessed a resurgence in movie-themed boxes. Perhaps cereal companies, desperate to turn around declining sales, are reaching back to marketing formulas that have worked in the past to generate some new breakfast enthusiasm Here's a brief recap of some of the cereals we have spotted:

Kellogg's Frozen - Following on the heels of this wildly popular Disney movie, Kellogg introduced a Frozen cereal (not in the freezer section!) featuring a gorgeous box with both major panels with a different design. A sneaky way to get people to buy two, not realizing that one box has both images!

General Mills' Star Wars - With newly anticipated Star Wars movies coming, new themed cereals are in order, as they have in the past, going back to the original 3-CPO in 1984. This year General Mills gets the rights, with two characters to choose from.

Kellogg's Avengers - The successful Marvel Avengers movie was supported not only by an dedicated new cereal, but Kellogg also plastered characters on Corn Flakes (utilizing the two-sided trick again) and Krave!

General Mills' Minions - On the fun side General Mills recently launched a banana berry cereal featuring the Minions of the Despicable Me franchise. The cereal itself has Minion designs imprinted on them.











All in all, good cereal fun. The way many of us remember breakfast!