"cereal boxes" news and stories

Those long and lean cereal boxes we've all grown accustomed to might soon be a thing of the past. Advertising Age reports that Kellogg's is testing a new "space-saving" cereal box design that will still give us 12 oz. of crunchy breakfast, but come in a much shorter and fatter box. They think this new design will fit more easily in pantries and on shelves.

What is most interesting, however, is how they're talking about the change, citing improvements to their "footprint," as well as "efficiency and effectiveness." Sounds like using environmental terms in shifty ways to me. What footprint are they speaking of? The space a box takes up in your kitchen? Methinks that hurdle has already been passed. I mean, we've had the same shape for eons.

Tropicana, Corn Flakes ... breakfast will never be the same! What do you think of their new boxy scheme?

[via Serious Eats]

It's fun to check out Topher's Cereal Character Guide, which lists just about every cartoon cereal character you can imagine (and some you can't), but another fun part of the cereal box is the back. The back of the boxes have games, puzzles, promotions and other information. They change frequently, but there is a site that has a cereal box archive, with photos of both the fronts and the backs of hundreds of cereal boxes. Many of the boxes advertise free or discounted products that tie in to the cereal itself. Merchandise includes dartboards, gum and even door knockers - all of which can make us remember why we got up to eat cereal and watch cartoons on weekend mornings: free stuff. 

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