{"id":5337,"date":"2026-06-17T13:27:27","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T18:27:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/k120025well.kutztown.edu\/kucd\/?page_id=5337"},"modified":"2026-06-23T09:04:54","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T14:04:54","slug":"mfa-graduate-research-project-josh-samolewicz-cerealomatic","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/k120025well.kutztown.edu\/kucd\/index.php\/mfa-graduate-research-project-josh-samolewicz-cerealomatic\/","title":{"rendered":"MFA Graduate Research Project | Josh Samolewicz, CerealOMatic"},"content":{"rendered":"

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MFA Graduate Research Project | Josh Samolewicz, CerealOMatic<\/h1>\n

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“You cannot swim for new horizons until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” – unknown origin. This quote captures the essence of the realization that overtook Joshua Samolewicz in the Spring of 2023 when he decided to return to Kutztown University to earn his Master’s degree in Communication Design. With the unwavering support of his family, Josh dove headfirst into what would be one of the best decisions he ever made. Working full-time as a Creative Manager at Turkey Hill while helping raise two teenage girls, Josh faced no shortage of challenges. Yet those demands ultimately deepened his dedication to the program. Because of the mentorship of his professors and cohort, Josh has grown beyond a creative professional, leveraging personal history and passions as the basis for many of his project themes. Josh hopes to bring his unique perspective to a university classroom.<\/h3>\n

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Josh<\/span>‘s thesis examined nostalgia as a multifaceted marketing strategy, exploring how brands across industries leveraged sensory cues, retro design, and shared cultural touchpoints to forge emotional connections with consumers and drive purchase behavior. Real-world examples ranging from Levi’s heritage denim and Kraft Mac & Cheese to Polaroid cameras and vinyl records illustrated how well-executed nostalgia marketing transcended generations and reinforced brand identity. Drawing on this research,\u00a0Josh<\/span>\u00a0developed a concept rooted in one of his most cherished childhood rituals, eating cereal, and envisioned a vending machine experience that went far beyond a simple snack transaction. The concept offered consumers a wide variety of cereal options and milk pairings, tailored to individual tastes and dietary preferences, wrapped in an environment designed to be shared, discussed, and remembered. Grounded in a 1950s nostalgic theme, the machine’s visual identity drew inspiration from mid-century modern kitchen appliances, using calming color palettes, familiar shapes, and modern accents to create an atmosphere that felt both familiar and fresh.\u00a0Josh<\/span>\u00a0brought the concept to life through a polished physical mock-up, complemented by a digital touchscreen navigation with character animations, a milk dispenser station flat, and a fully realized dining environment. The finished project translates a deeply personal passion into a meaningful and memorable consumer experience.<\/p>\n

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TARGET AUDIENCE:<\/u><\/div>\n
The cereal-O-matic vending machines have a wide range of uses, locations, and markets. Although the original intent was to focus on college campus life, for this project,\u00a0Josh<\/span> examined a wider range of practical locations that also included airports, train stations, offices, and retail stores.<\/div>\n

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The Exhibition<\/h3>\n

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