For over 120 years, Cracker Jacks have been an American Staple. The drool-worthy molasses-flavored, caramel-coated popcorn and peanut snack are as delectably edible as worth singing about. Yet, after 120 years, the brand decided to add a new face to the packaging.
In honor of creating a more inclusive and empowering sports world, the brand created a new take on Cracker Jacks, dubbed “Cracker Jill.” Because the brand is so closely associated with baseball and sports in general, celebrating females who exceed expectations is highly relevant indeed.
While similar to the original, the packaging for the new bag feels more youthful. The original box and bag feature a nostalgic Sailor Jack throwing a piece of the sweet snack into his mouth with an adorable pup tucked under his elbow (think Berries and Cream lad). As for the main design, bold, classic red and white stripes take over the front while the 50s inspired typeface visually describes the brand.
In contrast, the new bag’s bold stripes are a bit flatter—additionally, the female sailors from all different ethnicities are shown head to toe with the pup at their feet. While the typefaces stayed the same, there’s something a tad childish about the new bag (though, hey, this IS a kids’ snack for young and old).
Cracker Jack also donated $200,000 to the Women’s Sports Foundation to kick off the new campaign, and the brand is prompting fans to donate to WSF through this link. In addition, cracker Jack will send a Cracker Jillâ„¢ bag to fans who donate $5 or more while supplies last.
Of course, the timely release of the Cracker Jill packaging was intended to overlap with the opening of the 2022 baseball season. And that begins tomorrow—play ball.
