Shaping pack design with AI Insights: Kellanova’s case study

Pack redesigns and innovations can be challenging, right? On average, a packaging redesign goes through 5 to 10 iterations, with each iteration carrying risks like losing shelf visibility, confusing consumers, or even diluting brand equity. Add tight timelines and budgets into the mix, and the process becomes even more complex. But what if AI could simplify the process, making it faster, more efficient, and more effective?

In Quirk’s Webinar Shaping Pack Redesign with AI Insights: Kellanova Case, Simon Pollock, Senior Director of Insights & Analytics at Kellanova, and Nicole Tudoise, Business Development Director at EyeSee, shared how AI-powered tools are transforming the way brands approach packaging design. Simon brings vast experience in the CPG industry, working across diverse geographies and nearly every food category in the supermarket - offering valuable insights into how data-driven decisions can lead to impactful, consumer-centric design choices.

Here are three key takeaways from their discussion, along with actionable insights for brands looking to streamline their pack innovation process. To listen to the whole webinar, just fill out a short form on the side.  

Packaging is the first and most critical brand touchpoint

Simon Pollock opened the webinar with a powerful statement: "Packaging is the first point of interaction that many consumers have with our products, which makes it a critically important touch point." This first impression can make or break a purchase decision, especially in a crowded retail environment.

But creating effective packaging isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about clarity and simplicity. Simon noted, "Consumers, particularly at the point of purchase, only really see very few items on pack." This means brands must focus on distinctive assets and clear messaging to stand out.

For Kellanova, this principle was central to the Cheez-It redesign. Launching an unknown brand in the UK required a design that communicated the brand’s identity quickly and effectively established the brand's identity and presence.

AI is transforming the speed, adding needed steps in process of pack testing

One of the biggest pain points in packaging innovation is the time and cost associated with traditional research methods. Nicole Tudoise highlighted how EyeSee’s predictive eye tracking technology is addressing this challenge: "Predictive eye tracking leverages AI to get quick, cost-efficient, and practical optimizations before and after validating pack designs on shelf."

This technology was a game-changer for Kellanova. Simon shared, "We were able to use AI to retest post-optimization and confirm we’d made improvements.”

He stressed the importance of retesting to ensure that redesigns move things forward, not backward: "I’ve worked on many projects where you make changes to packaging after doing the learning, and what ends up happening is sometimes you make it go backwards, not forwards. The great thing about this is we had a method to validate or double-check that we were still taking the design in the right direction."

The EyeSee pack testing process is simple yet powerful:

Pack Screening Plus: narrow down multiple designs and pinpoint areas for optimization.

Pack Validation: Test winning designs against current packaging in a competitive shelf context.

Pack Check: Use AI to verify that final changes deliver the intended impact.

The future of packaging lies in pre-consumer AI Insights

Perhaps the most exciting takeaway from the webinar was the potential of AI to revolutionize the early stages of pack design. Simon explained, "I’m excited about using predictive eye tracking pre-consumer learning to improve designs before we even get to consumer testing."

Nicole elaborated on how EyeSee’s predictive eye tracking goes beyond traditional saliency models: "Our predictive eye tracking uses advanced AI algorithms based on real eye tracking data from the last decade. It’s not just about contrast and color—it’s about understanding how consumers actually engage with the pack."

This capability allows brands to identify potential issues and opportunities early in the design process, saving time and resources while ensuring the final product is optimized for success.

In conclusion

With AI-powered tools like Predictive Eye Tracking, brands can now test packaging at every stage of redesign and iteration, ensuring every decision is data-driven and insights-led. No more guesswork—just smarter, faster, and more effective pack innovation.

Want to dive deeper into how AI is shaping the future of packaging? Watch the full Quirk’s Webinar Shaping Pack Redesign with AI Insights: Kellanova Case featuring Simon Pollock (Senior Director of Insights & Analytics at Kellanova) and Nicole Tudoise (Business Development Director at EyeSee) by filling out the form on the side.  

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