Cereal Box Project

Cereal Box Activity

Task: Create a Cereal Box and Report

Introduction

•There are many cereals on the shelves of grocery
stores

•Cereals are marketed to different groups of
people

•For example, Frosted Flakes vs. Kashi Organic
Promise Gluten-Free cereal

•These two cereals have very different target
markets

Task

•You will come up with a name and concept idea for a
unique cereal (does not already exist)

•You will develop a cereal box for your idea by designing
a front, back and side panels using a program such as
Microsoft Publisher (or another program of your
choice). These panels will then be printed out and
placed onto an existing cereal box.

•You will also put together a report for this product

Think about the people who will buy and enjoy your cereal. Answer the questions below to explain your target market:

• Age Group: How old are the people you want to buy your cereal? (Examples: kids, teenagers, adults, families)

• Hobbies or Interests: What do they like to do? (Examples: playing sports, gaming, eating healthy, having fun)

• Lifestyle: Are they looking for a quick breakfast, a healthy snack, or something fun to eat?

• Special Needs: Do they care about certain things, like low sugar, high protein, or fun packaging?
  
  *Make sure to answer all parts of the question for all of the questions*

Geographic Area:

• Where do they live? (Examples: a big city, small town, suburban neighborhood, or even a specific country.)

• Does their location change what they would want in a cereal? (Examples: quick breakfasts for city life, budget-friendly options for rural areas.)

Age:

• How old are the people you want to buy your cereal? (Examples: kids, teenagers, adults, or families.)

• Why does this age group like your cereal? (Examples: fun packaging for kids, health benefits for adults.)

Income:

• How much money do they have to spend? (Examples: affordable cereals for families, premium cereals for health-conscious buyers.)

• Would they choose budget-friendly options or pay more for something fancy like organic cereal?

Gender:

• Are you targeting boys, girls, men, women, or everyone? (Examples: a sporty cereal might target boys, while a beauty-focused cereal might target women.)

• How does your cereal appeal to this group?

Education Level:

• What kind of information would your target market want on the box? (Examples: simple, fun designs for kids; detailed nutritional facts for educated adults.)

• How does their education level influence their choices? (Examples: choosing cereals with health claims or eco-friendly packaging.)

Think about how you can make people want to buy your cereal. Answer these questions to explain at least 3 ways you could advertise and promote it:"

1. Social Media:

   • What platforms would you use? (Examples: TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube.)

   • How would you make your cereal stand out? (Examples: Create funny videos, show influencers eating your cereal, or start a hashtag challenge.)

2. TV or Online Commercials:

   • Who would appear in your commercial? (Examples: Kids, athletes, or a cartoon character.)

   • What would the commercial show to grab attention? (Examples: A fun story, exciting music, or your cereal being poured into a bowl.)

In-Store Promotions:

• What would you do in stores to attract buyers? (Examples: Offer free samples, discounts, or display your cereal in a cool spot near the entrance.)

• How would you design your display to make people notice your cereal? (Examples: Bright colors, big signs, or a mascot cutout.)

Think about your target audience. What features on your cereal box would catch their attention and make them want to buy your product? Answer the following questions to explain your ideas:

• Colors: What colors will you use, and why would these colors appeal to your audience?

• Pictures: What images or drawings will you include, and how do they match your audience’s interests?

• Words: What phrases or taglines will you add to make your cereal sound exciting or special?

• Special Features: Will you include games, QR codes, or promotions? How do these make your cereal more fun or interesting for your audience?

Think about the other cereal brands your product will compete with. Answer these questions to explain your competitors and how your cereal is different:

• Name 2 Competing Brands:

  • What are two cereal brands that sell to a similar target market as yours?

  • (Examples: Frosted Flakes if your cereal is sweet and fun, or Cheerios if it’s healthy and simple.)

• Why Are They Competition?

  • What makes their product similar to yours?

  • (Examples: They target the same age group, have a similar flavor, or focus on health benefits.)

• How Will Your Cereal Stand Out?

  • What will make your cereal better than theirs? (Examples: Lower price, better taste, cooler packaging, or special features like eco-friendly materials or fun prizes.)

  • How will you advertise to get people to choose your cereal instead? (Examples: Use social media challenges, add exciting designs, or offer discounts.)

Task: Design a Cereal Box

Use the following steps to create the front, back, and side panels for your cereal box. Think about your target audience and how your design will attract them!

• Be creative! Your cereal should stand out on the shelf.

• Make sure the design appeals to your target audience.

• Use bold visuals, fun elements, and clear information to grab attention.
  

Front Panel: Name, Pictures, and Information

• What to Include:

  • A unique name for your cereal that fits your target audience. (Examples: "Super Energy Crunch" or "Frosty Fun Flakes.")

  • Pictures or artwork that make your cereal look exciting. (Examples: A bowl of cereal, a cartoon mascot, or colorful designs.)

  • Information about your cereal, like:

    • Flavor (Examples: Chocolate, berry, or honey).

    • Benefits (Examples: "High in protein," "Gluten-free," or "Low sugar").

• Tip: Use colors and fonts that match your audience. Bright colors for kids, clean and simple designs for adults.
  

Back Panel: Game or Promotion

• What to Include:

  • A fun game or activity your target market would enjoy. (Examples: A maze, crossword puzzle, or connect-the-dots.)

  • A promotion or contest. (Examples: "Collect all 5 stickers," "Enter to win a prize," or "Scan the QR code for a fun video.")

• Tip: Think about how to make the back panel interactive or exciting so your audience wants to spend time looking at it.

Side Panel: Ingredients and Nutrition Facts

• What to Include:

  • A list of ingredients used in your cereal. (Examples: “Whole grain oats, sugar, honey, natural flavors.”)

  • A basic nutrition facts table. (Examples: Calories, protein, sugar, fiber, and vitamins.)

• Tip: If your cereal has a unique feature, highlight it here. (Examples: “Packed with Vitamin C” or “Contains 10g of protein per serving!”)

​

Cereal Box Project Rubric

Level	1	2	3	4
Front Panel	Displayed minimal understanding of the target market. Limited design elements; lacked creativity and visual appeal.	Displayed some understanding of the target market. Included a few design features but lacked full alignment with audience preferences.	Displayed a good understanding of the target market. Included thoughtful design elements that were creative and mostly aligned with audience preferences.	Displayed excellent knowledge of the target market. Design features were highly creative, visually appealing, and perfectly aligned with the target audience.
Back Panel	Included minimal content relevant to the target market. Design lacked interaction or creativity.	Included some content relevant to the target market. Design featured limited creativity or interactive elements.	Included relevant and creative content targeted to the audience. Interactive elements were engaging but could be further polished.	Included highly relevant, engaging, and creative content. Interactive elements were well-designed and captivating for the target audience.
Side Panel	Displayed minimal effort in listing ingredients or nutritional information. Content was incomplete or unclear.	Displayed some effort in including ingredients and nutritional information. Content was basic and partially aligned with audience expectations.	Displayed good effort in creating clear and relevant content for the side panel. Included thoughtful ingredients or features targeting the audience.	Displayed excellent effort with detailed, clear, and visually appealing nutritional and ingredient content. Features were perfectly targeted to audience needs.

Do the Side
Panels on a new
document and
set the page
width to 2.5”
You will set this
under…
1.

Design

2.

Page Set-up

3.

Page Width