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GENERAL MILLS CONSUMER INSIGHTS 20/20 VISION DESIGN CHALLENGE

Background and Brief

“…clarity and excellence in thinking is very much like clarity and excellence in the display of data. When principles of design replicate principles of thought, the act of arranging information becomes an act of insight.”

-Edward Tufte, Visual Explanations

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The Highlights

• Develop the next evolution of how Global Consumer Insights will be communicated internally and externally

• Design new logo for the Global Consumer Insights function at General Mills

• Winner gets $550; all participants can include their work in their portfolios

• Competition opens February 13, Entries due March 5; winner announced April 18

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A HISTORY OF CONSUMER INSIGHTS

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History of Consumer InsightsThis story starts in 1998. That was the year that the prism logo was born.

Back then, Consumer Insights was seen as a data provider. We were the “market research” department, a service team that ran a phone room and consumer surveys using pen and paper.

In reality, we were more than that. We were the conduit to the consumer, and provided the texture and meaning to the raw numbers.

But we aspired to be - and be valued as - even more.• To provide information. Insights.• To influence.• To develop our own valuable, proprietary methods.

The idea behind the prism was that takes disparate pieces of information (represented in the colors), and synthesizes it into a ray of light, or an insight.

It symbolized the aspiration and value we wanted to communicate to the company.

Act I 13 Years Ago

The Consumer Insights logo that was developed in 1998.

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History of Consumer InsightsSince 1998, Consumer Insights has indeed grown. We are present across the company. From ad campaigns, to new product development, to corporate growth strategy.

And not just for the brands you see in the grocery.

We support the grocery chains themselves, advising them on ways to grow their businesses, as well as our own.

Consumer Insights also works with our Foodservice and International businesses. Our people are present across the globe, and have backgrounds in everything from food science to sociology to sculpture to chemistry. Consumer Insights is more than a career, it is a state of mind. The prism has evolved as well, becoming more stylized, yet retaining the same intent.

But things are changing. Our function is now at an inflection point.

Act II Growth and

Evolution

The Consumer Insights logo as it is today.

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History of Consumer InsightsOver the next decade, General Mills’ markets and consumers will be changing rapidly, probably more rapidly than at any other time in our history. Some examples:

• Global: Markets outside the US will become increasingly important.

• Mobile Technology: Consumers will be more connected than ever, but not through desktops. Connectivity will follow them everywhere, via phones and tablets.

• Demographics: America’s getting older. Fewer kids. Multicultural. Multigenerational households. In 2020, the “typical American family” won’t be the norm. In fact, there will be no norm at all.

We can’t anticipate all ways our world will change in the coming decade.

But we know that Consumer Insights will change with it. We are updating and upgrading, preparing our function for the challenges of the future. We will now be called Global Consumer Insights (GCI).

All of that starts with the way we think about ourselves, and the way we present ourselves to the corporation: how we brand our function for the future.

Act III A Changing Future

“Global Consumer Insights”

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PROJECT DETAILSCommunication Intent and Project Deliverables

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Communication Intent: Vision2020 Vision:

Global Consumer Insights (GCI)

With our marketplace revelations, we inspire action. Our game-changing insights & analytics drive decision-making,

influence strategy and accelerate growth.

Here are the key points we

want to communicate

GLOBAL (Not just the US and Europe. Everywhere.)

GAME-CHANGING INSIGHTS (coincidentally, this phrase also represents our function’s acronym: GCI)

GROWTH (This is not about uncovering trivia. Our work must ultimately build sales)

HOLISTIC (We don’t just study the consumer. We study the entire marketplace, including categories, competitors, retailers, food trends, etc)

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Communication Intent: Values

Core Values Description

Impact We translate insights into opportunities and actions that have a meaningful impact on the business.

Consumer TruthWe are the consumer experts, passionately advocating for them. We understand consumers 360o to build intuition and empathy across the company.

Discovery We’re incessantly curious – asking questions and making connections. We anticipate, discover, and extrapolate.

Take a Stand We listen and lead; taking a stand to guide better decisions and find future opportunities

AgilityWe anticipate change and adapt quickly, experimenting all the time for faster, better insights.

Global CommunityOur community is a global one. We embrace diversity and learn from each other. We are not a “Function.” We are a Community.

Partnership We collaborate with our partners – internal and external – to achieve mutually beneficial results.

Global Consumer Insights adheres to these 6 core values

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Project Deliverables

Develop an inspiring mark that represents the “brand” of Consumer Insights.

Specifically, this is a new mark for the department, now titled Global Consumer Insights, that communicates the new vision and values, can easily telegraph to all roles of the department, and is inspiring.

See requirements for Phase 1 (p 12) for details

Scope of Work

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Requirements and Submitting for Phase 1

1. Any software application can be used to mock up the logo design, but we encourage you to use Illustrator in order to maximize future client applications.

2. Proprietary fonts can be used within your logo design.

3. Save both color, black & white versions of your logo design as a high-quality PDF. File size should be no larger than 8.5''x11”.

4. The PDF must also include • Your full name• Address• Telephone• Email• Major/Year• Short paragraph explaining your concept

Requirements: Phase 11. Use the following naming convention for your final

PDF submission: gci_yourfirstname_yourlastname.pdf

2. Entries can be uploaded via an Intranet form.

3. Submit your entry via the MCAD Intranet: http://intranet.mcad.edu/gmcontest

4. Entries will be accepted up until midnight, Monday, March 5, 2012.

5. Entries will be sent to General Mills for review on Wednesday, March 7, 2012.

6. A GM/MCAD advisory team will review all submissions and select a group of semi-finalists. At that time, all original source files will be collected.

Submitting: Phase 1

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Process and Timeline

• Logo Design• First judging to select up to 10 semifinalists

Phase One: Due March 5• Semifinalists will receive feedback from General

Mills

• Faculty members Allen Brewer and Nicole Killian will work with semifinalists to refine the designs for final submission.

• Final designs will include multiple applications, such as color, process, negative applications etc.

Phase Two: Due March 30

Project Timeline

Competition Open

Work Due

Feedback to Semifinalists

Feb 13

Mar 5

Mar 9

Round 1 Decision

Mar 1

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Revisions Due

Mar 3

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Winner Announced

April 18

Design revealed

May

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Evaluating work

• Best “fit” with Vision and values, without being a literal depiction

• Consideration to where we’ve been (prior assets).

• Creativity• Forward-thinking— your work will live for 10+

years.

• MCAD professors• General Mills

Design Criteria

Advisory Boardto evaluate work

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Awards

• All entrants will be able to include submitted work in their portfolios

• For the winning individual/team:– $550 prize– Shadowing opportunity at General Mills

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Contest RulesGeneral Mills Consumer Insights 20/20 Vision Design ChallengeOFFICIAL CONTEST RULES The General Mills Consumer Insights 20/20 Vision Design Challenge Contest (“Contest”) is sponsored by General Mills Marketing, Inc. (“General Mills”), One General Mills Blvd., Minneapolis, Minnesota 55426. WHAT IS THE CONTEST?The Contest encourages students currently enrolled at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design to develop a new logo for the General Mills’ Global Consumer Insights group based on the Background and Brief document entitled “General Mills Consumer Insights 20/20 Design Challenge” attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference (the “Brief”). WHAT CAN I WIN?One (1) Grand Prize will be awarded. The Grand Prize is Five Hundred Fifty Dollars ($550), plus the opportunity to meet with and shadow a General Mills employee (the specifics of such shadowing opportunity to be determined in General Mills’ sole discretion). Approximate retail value of the Grand Prize is Five Hundred Fifty Dollars ($550). All taxes and any expenses associated with the prize are the sole responsibility of the winner. Neither General Mills nor any of its affiliates or subsidiaries will be responsible for any loss, liability or damage arising out of the winner’s acceptance or use of the prize. This contest is void where prohibited or otherwise regulated. All federal, state and local laws apply. General Mills reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value if a stated prize is unavailable for any reason. Prize is non-assignable and non-transferable, except at the sole discretion of General Mills and may not be given, bartered, sold or exchanged for cash or another prize. WHO CAN ENTER?You are eligible to enter this contest if you are currently enrolled as a student at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Students may enter the contest as individuals or as part of a team. Entrants must be 18 years of age or older at the time of entry. Void where prohibited. The Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein. The following people are not eligible to enter and will be disqualified if entered: employees of General Mills or any of its respective parents, subsidiaries and affiliated companies, or a member of the immediate family (parent, children, siblings, spouse, regardless of where they live) or residing in the same household of such employees (whether related or not). .

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Contest Rules, continuedHOW DO I ENTER?Online entry only. Upload your submission to http://intranet.mcad.edu/gmcontest by midnight on Monday, March 5, 2012. Use the following naming convention for your final PDF submission: gci_yourfirstname_yourlastname.pdf. Submissions must include all of the Project Deliverables listed in the Brief. Limit one entry per person. Only entries submitted via the MCAD Intranet form Entries submitted via mail, email, facsimile or other express delivery services will NOT be accepted. General Mills (which includes its affiliates and each of its agents, officers, employees, licensees and all parties associated with the Contest) is not responsible for entries that cannot be processed due to phone, network, electronic or computer hardware or software failure, or technical failures of any kind, whether caused by General Mills, entrants or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the promotion or by any technical or human error which may occur in the processing of submissions which may damage a user’s system or limit a participant’s ability to participate in the promotion. General Mills reserves the right at its sole discretion to disqualify any individual that tampers or attempts to tamper with the entry process or the operation of the contest or violates the Official Rules. In the case of duplicate submissions, the first entry received will be judged. By submitting your work, you accept all contest rules and agree to be bound by the decisions of the judges, which will be final. You also agree that your work becomes the sole property of General Mills upon submission and that by submitting your work, you irrevocably assign and transfer to General Mills your entire right, title and interest in and to your submissions, including but not limited to the copyrights and renewal copyrights thereon, moral rights, and patent rights. General Mills reserves the right to edit, adapt, copyright, publish, transfer and use any or all parts of the submission, in any or all media without compensation or attribution to you. Notwithstanding the foregoing, you may include your submitted work in your student portfolios but not for any other purpose. General Mills reserves the right in its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest should virus, bugs, non-authorized human intervention, fraud or other causes beyond its control corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness or proper conduct of the Contest. CAUTION -- ANY ATTEMPT BY AN ENTRANT TO DELIBERATELY UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS. SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK REMEDIES AND DAMAGES (INCLUDING ATTORNEY’S FEES) FROM ANY SUCH ENTRANT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW, INCLUDING CRIMINAL PROSECUTION. HOW WILL THE WORK BE JUDGED?All entries must meet the contest requirements as set out in these Official Rules and include the Deliverables listed in the Brief. Judging will be conducted by an advisory board made up of some combination of MCAD professor(s), General Mills employee(s), and design industry professional(s) (the “Judging Panel”), who will evaluate each submission based on the judging criteria outlined below (the “Judging Criteria”). The Judging Panel reserves the right to disqualify an entry if it determines that the submission does not comply with these Official Rules or does not include the Deliverables listed in the Brief. Decisions of the Judging Panel are final in all matters relating to this Contest. The Judging Panel will choose around ten (10) semifinalists (“Semifinalists”) on or around March 9, 2012. The Semifinalists will then have until March 30, 2012, to revise their submissions based on feedback from the Judging Panel. Semifinalists must upload their revised submissions by midnight CST on March 30, 2012, via the MCAD Intranet site described above. For clarity, Semifinalists’ revised submissions are subject to the same terms included in the “How Do I Enter” section above.

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Contest Rules, continuedThe selection of the Grand Prize Winner will be determined by the Judging Panel on or around April 18, 2012. The Judging Criteria:Adherence to the BriefCreativityAesthetics WHAT HAPPENS IF I WIN?The Grand Prize Winner will be announced on or around April 18, 2012. The Grand Prize Winner (or winners if the winning submission came from a team) will be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility, assignment of rights and a liability and promotional release and return it within forty eight (48) hours of receipt of affidavit and release from General Mills. General Mills reserves the right to cancel this Contest at its sole discretion. ABBREVIATED RULES FOR USE ON CONTEST FLYERNO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open only to currently enrolled students at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design who are 18 years of age or older at the time of entry. Submit your entry via the MCAD Intranet: http://intranet.mcad.edu/gmcontest. Entries must be received by midnight CST on March 5, 2012. Void where prohibited. See Official Rules for details. Sponsored by General Mills Marketing, Inc., One General Mills Blvd., Minneapolis, MN 55426

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REFERENCE

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Global Consumer

Insights

iTech

Subteams

CLE

Subteams Retailers

Division

Business Units

Global Insights and Analytics

Subteams

CI Org Structure and AssetsThis is GCI’s current logo.

Over time, many subteams and functions within GCI have developed their own logos, or use logos of their divisions/business unit. Provided FYI only – should not influence your design.

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Logos within the GCI function and General Mills