Corn Flakes, Corn Fakes and a new concept in branded breakfast cereals

Those of you who are Londoners and who read Wednesday morning’s Metro on the way to work (like the IPKat's informant Rebecca Dimaridis who supplied and part-wrote this item) will have been enthralled by the story that Kellogg's have developed a method to brand their famous signature on to their Corn Flakes, creating an image which would apparently look similar to the picture below on their website. The Breakfast Barons of Battle Creek are apparently taking this measure in order to assist consumers -- particularly those prone to post-sale confusion -- to identify the original product from its imitators.
It appears that not every flake will be so branded; each box will be 'seeded' with a number of lasered flakes, so those who are determined to do so can fish them out and deploy them craftily among own-brand generic products and create the illusion that they are the 'real thing'.

The IPKat wonders whether this method of branding is itself the subject of any intellectual property protection, though an admittedly brief search didn't show up any results. Merpel can’t help but wonder whether this new development will be the beginning of a new trend, giving a whole new meaning to the concept of the branded breakfast cereal.

The Kats are a little suspicious of this story, which some people have felt to be a bit flaky, or indeed as fake as the lookalike flakes against which Kellogg's seek to protect themselves. Any useful information from readers, particularly if they work for Kellogg's and don't mind risking their jobs, will be greatly welcome.

More reportage of this story in The Guardian, The Scottish Daily Record, BrandRepublic and Geeks.
Awesome ... the Black Corn Flake here
Corn Flakes that kill here ... and Corn Flake Wreaths here
Corn Flake Tart recipe here
Corn Flakes, Corn Fakes and a new concept in branded breakfast cereals Corn Flakes, Corn Fakes and a new concept in branded breakfast cereals Reviewed by Jeremy on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 Rating: 5

7 comments:

  1. DE19744619
    Laser marking of cereal grain
    The method involves using a laser beam to burn in writing, characters and graphics on one or more surfaces of all types of cereal grain, seeds, or beans.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I suspect (assuming that this is genuine) that they are targeting what is known as the "away from home market" e.g. hotels and other caterers who normally decant cereals into bowls or other containers on a breakfast buffet.

    I recall US manufacturers of tissue paper (where brands, as distinct from supermarket own labels, dominate the market) taking similar measures a few years ago.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Chris: wow, that's incredible, a technology for lasering trademarks onto tissue paper!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous said...
    Chris: wow, that's incredible, a technology for lasering trademarks onto tissue paper!


    Perfectly plausible to use lasers, but probably more likely to be done by printing or embossing on the tissue, as it is more easily achieved on the production line.

    ReplyDelete
  5. The most startling thing from my point of view is that they believe it's necessary. Sends somehow a message of the type "looks, smells and tastes the same; the only difference is that shiny new logo"

    ReplyDelete
  6. In similar news, M&Ms are working on a product where you can have your own logo or photograph put on to the back of an M & M.
    The IP Dog.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Pssst...its not "an M&M"! Its an M&Ms!

    ReplyDelete

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