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.