Frito-Lay introduces Cracker Jill to celebrate women in sports
Cracker Jack has committed $200,000 to the Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF), a national non-profit that conducts research and advocacy and supports community programming, to help girls and women across the country reach their potential in sport and life.
To further support the Foundation’s work in gender equity, Cracker Jack is encouraging fans to donate to WSF in exchange for a special-edition Cracker Jill bag.
After more than 125 years as one of sport's most iconic snacks, Cracker Jack has added a new face to its roster with the introduction of Cracker Jill to celebrate the women who break down barriers in sports. Tapping into the brand’s rich history with baseball, Cracker Jill comes to life through five different representations on a series of special-edition bags, which will be available at the start of this year’s baseball season in professional ballparks across the country and through a donation of $5 or more to the WSF.
“We are constantly inspired by the many women who are making history by breaking the mould, and we want to celebrate their achievements while supporting the progress,” said Tina Mahal, VP of marketing at Frito-Lay North America.
“Cracker Jack has been part of sports for over a century, as records were made and rules changed. We’ve been so inspired by how girls and women are changing the face of the game, so in this spirit we introduce Cracker Jill to show girls that they’re represented even in our most iconic snacks.”
The barrier-breaking spirit of Cracker Jill was brought to life by artist and model Monica Ahanonu, an expert in colour theory and a trailblazer for Black artists. Her colourful portrait illustrations resonated with the campaign goal of celebrating women in sports, along with its remarkable diversity (the five Jills are the most represented ethnicities in the US, per Census Bureau data).
As part of the campaign, Cracker Jack has also partnered with award-winning artist Normani to record a reimagined version of the ballpark classic, ‘Take Me Out to the Ball Game’, which includes the lyrics, “buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack”.
Said Normani, “As a young girl, I remember being inspired by athletes and artists who looked like me.
“They made me believe that I could also achieve greatness as I watched them break barriers for women. I'm proud to be part of a campaign entrenched in inclusivity and empowerment because it’s vital for young girls to see themselves represented and join in on the celebration of the achievements made by the women before them.”
This collection of Cracker Jill packaging was created to coincide with the opening of the 2022 baseball season, but the intention is for Jill to continue to join Sailor Jack as a permanent member of the team roster and part of the brand ethos.