Case Study

General Mills

General Mills

Challenge

General Mills sought to modernize the Box Tops program for a digital-first world. The transition from paper labels to a mobile experience needed to feel simple and familiar for families, schools and coordinators, while preserving the trust, participation, and impact the program had built over time. The goal was to make earning Box Tops easier and more accessible, without adding complexity for users.

Approach

Reimagining the Box Tops Experience

We worked with General Mills to define a clear  vision for Box Tops that centered on ease of use and everyday behaviors. The experience was designed to fit naturally into how families shop and support schools, reducing friction and removing unnecessary steps.

Designing and Validating the Experience

The vision was brought to life through an interactive prototype that showed how families could scan receipts, track earnings, and contribute to their schools and how coordinators could connect better with their communities. This allowed the experience to be refined early, ensuring the final product felt intuitive, reliable, and ready for widespread adoption.

'Box tops are the future' - artwork from the Beyond the Box app
A workflow graph showing how to bring this product to its current audienceScreenshots of the beyond the box app over a colorful magenta gradientNotifications and artwork from the Beyond the Box appA person looking down at their phone with beyond the box displaying on their screen
An image of a badge achievement notification in the Beyond the Box app

The outcome

General Mills went fully digital in 2019 with a mobile app that allowed users to scan and earn money for schools instead of clipping physical box tops. The digital Box Tops experience simplified participation for families while continuing to support schools nationwide. By making the program easier to use and more accessible, General Mills positioned Box Tops for sustained engagement and long-term relevance.

  • The app helps to automate the process and lets people quickly view a running total of their total contributions
  • Improved visibility and reduced administrative effort for school coordinators through a centralized, easy-to-use digital experience
  • A more accessible way for families to support schools without changing their routines

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