Kelloggs Fires Lasers Across Bowls to Thwart Fake Flakes
Katie Cordrey — October 14, 2009 — Marketing
References: www2.kelloggs & dailymail
In an effort to thwart cereal criminals who would engage in identity theft in order to sell fake flakes, Kelloggs has embarked upon a Corn Flake branding effort in the UK.
If all goes according to plan, tiny laser technology will be used to burn the famous signature onto individual flakes. A percentage of branded flakes will be part of every box as a way for consumers to verify that they’re eating the real thing.
Since the flakes are in sealed boxes, it’s a bit of a mystery how a consumer can benefit until after a fake flake purchase is complete and what action is expected upon discovery of cereal deception. Nevertheless, branding the individual flakes for the nearly 1 billion bowls of Kelloggs Corn Flakes eaten in the UK each year is a huge task for the company whose cereal was the first to land on the Moon.
If all goes according to plan, tiny laser technology will be used to burn the famous signature onto individual flakes. A percentage of branded flakes will be part of every box as a way for consumers to verify that they’re eating the real thing.
Since the flakes are in sealed boxes, it’s a bit of a mystery how a consumer can benefit until after a fake flake purchase is complete and what action is expected upon discovery of cereal deception. Nevertheless, branding the individual flakes for the nearly 1 billion bowls of Kelloggs Corn Flakes eaten in the UK each year is a huge task for the company whose cereal was the first to land on the Moon.
Trend Themes
1. Laser Branding - Using laser technology to brand individual flakes offers a disruptive innovation opportunity to prevent counterfeit cereal products.
2. Product Verification - Including a percentage of branded flakes in every box allows consumers to verify the authenticity of their cereal, creating a potential disruptive innovation opportunity for enhancing trust in the food industry.
3. Anti-counterfeiting Measures - Kelloggs' efforts to deter cereal criminals through branding individual flakes demonstrate a disruptive innovation opportunity to address counterfeit products in the food manufacturing sector.
Industry Implications
1. Food Manufacturing - The use of laser branding and product verification in the cereal industry presents a disruptive innovation opportunity for companies to enhance consumer trust and tackle counterfeiting.
2. Packaging and Labeling - The implementation of laser branding technology on individual flakes opens up a disruptive innovation opportunity for companies in the packaging and labeling industry to offer anti-counterfeiting solutions.
3. Food Safety and Security - Developing and implementing effective anti-counterfeiting measures like individual flake branding can be a disruptive innovation opportunity for companies in the food safety and security industry.
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