Cereal Killer (Idea)!

Sometimes one post will send me into a tangent! As you can read in the previous post, I stated that cereal boxes don’t need all the gloss and color. I don’t know about you, but when I am heading down the aisle, I am scanning the prices, not the boxes.

So I created this system where the products are packaged in no-frills cardboard with a few labels and images, and placed behind a placard that serves as the signage:

One colorful label, as opposed to numerous boxes covered in ink and gloss. The cereal label is every bit as interchangeable as the price labels on the shelf.

This particular kind of placard is a saloon-style gate door that swings open. The customer can just grab the box without even touching the door. There are other kinds of approaches you can take with this, like a sliding door, a small placard by the price, or broadcast the images onto the plain-ish boxes with a projector (though that is not energy efficient - but would look cool).

As for the boxes themselves, I quickly threw this together, but the box would actually feature some line art to better indicate the product. Based on experiences that brands like No Name foods have encountered, you need to take into serious consideration those who are illiterate. Plus you really need to differentiate each brand, to avoid any accidental purchases by the consumer.

In summary: a cardboard box with minimalist ink use. It looks so appropriate for something that will dwell in your cupboard for a few days/weeks.

Why stop at cereal? This can be done for other boxed food, like Mac and Cheese.

And sorry to repeat myself, but this type of packaging will translate into cheaper prices for consumers. The more food types that exercise this system the better.

Also, it would be easier to recycle, with a fraction of the ink used. I’m sure an all-natural cereal maker like Kashi would approve….right?