General Mills is deploying a new tactic in ongoing battle for cereal dominance. Retro cereal box designs are appearing on store shelves in Target, and elsewhere.

My initial reaction was one of refreshing surprise — what a pleasant treat for someone like me, who appreciates the aesthetics of yesteryear. But almost immediately after, I found myself puzzled at intent. Since most of these breakfast cereals are aimed at children, I wonder if their effectiveness will be lost on today's youth. Are the kid's of today's ADD generation secretly fans of mid-century retro design? Perhaps the obvious conclusion is that these retro designs are aimed at adults who would otherwise not buy anything promoted by a cartoon rabbit.