Part of a Vintage Breakfast

I was getting groceries the other day and noticed the fun, limited edition, vintage Raisin Bran boxes. Now mind you, it's been years since I've indulged in the crunchy flakes and two scoops of raisin goodness, but I couldn't resist buying a box. They're as tasty as I remember and I can't wait to eat my way to the "valuable savings coupon inside". (My inner design geek really hopes the coupon has a vintage look too!)

I wanted to post this for a reason. And no, it's not because I plan to make a habit of informing you of what I had for breakfast. (Although the other day I made some delicious french toast!) I decided to post this as a reminder of how powerful good graphic design can be.

One hears the terms "vintage" and "retro" a lot in the design world and honestly they can be rather ambiguous. Often times they refer to anything that imitates an older trend as opposed to the current fad. And when the current fad is vintage/retro, we see an influx of throw-back designs that don't really speak to a products brand, but simply try to fit in and look cool.

In the case of the Raisin Bran box, it looks cool, but there's more to it than that. What I really love about the box is the sense of nostalgia it invokes. Not only did the design make it stand out from the other cereal boxes, but it made me think back to when I was a kid eating Raisin Bran in my pajamas. The memories of the crunchy flakes and sweet gooey raisins made me turn around and purchase a box. It's a perfect example of effective design at work.