Celebrating women in Sports with Cracker Jill 

In a nod to diversity and inclusion, Frito-Lay has revamped its popular snack, Cracker Jack, the crunchy and caramel-coated peanut and popcorn snack, to reflect and celebrate women in sports. The multibillion-dollar owner of Cracker Jack, announced last week that it is introducing a new character, Cracker Jill, “to celebrate the women who break down barriers in sports.”

Part of Frito-Lay’s Cracker Jill campaign includes a reworking of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” the 1908 tune that became the best free advertising for Cracker Jack, especially during baseball season where it’s regularly sung during the seventh-inning stretch.

The company taped two female artists to help with Cracker Jill’s launch. Motivational singer Normani paired up with Frito-Lay to update the unofficial anthem of North America Baseball, Take me Out to the Ball Game, while artist Monica Ahanonu conceptualized the five new faces of the Cracker Jack team. Described as an expert in color theory, Ahanonu created different illustrations of Cracker Jill to show different ethnicities, skin tones, and body types which is reflective of women in sports. 

The updated song lyrics celebrate the endurance and achievements of girls in sports. “Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jill/ No one can stop you if you have the will/ So let’s root, root, root for a girl’s dream,” read some of the lines. 

Tina Mahal, vice president of marketing at Frito-Lay North America said in a statement, “We are constantly inspired by the many women who are making history by breaking the mold, and we want to celebrate their achievements while supporting their progress.” 

She went on to say, “These unique depictions of Jill also celebrate the remarkable diversity throughout the country,” Frito Lay explained in a statement highlighting that the five Jills were inspired by the U.S. Census .

Cracker Jack is enjoyed by young and old, but many are unaware of its checkered past that dates back to 1910 at its headquarters in Chicago. The company was mired in multiple controversies. Among them include a story about one of its co-founder, German immigrant Frederick Rueckheim, who allegedly blocked U.S. recruitment officers from entering his factory during World War I. (He did so, apparently, while displaying a photo of Paul von Hindenburg, the heroic German field marshal, on his desk.) 

Then there were repeated allegations that Rueckheim employed child labor at his Cracker Jack plant in the Windy City. Rueckheim was in desperate need of a total public relations reset for the good of his family, his company, and future generations. The introduction of Sailor Jack, the saluting boy, Sailor Jack, and his loyal dog, Bingo were introduced to us on the side of the Cracker Jack box. To ensure survival, Rueckheim tapped into everything American from the red, white and blue colors, the military, flag, and a boy with his dog. 

The rest as they say is history. Nothing from its past has stopped fans from enjoying this treat. With the recently opened 2022 professional baseball season, Frito-Lay says the special edition bags will be available at the games. Fans can get their hands on the special-edition bags by making a $5 donation to CrackerJill.com for the Women’s Sports Foundation, which is dedicated to gender equality on and off the field. Established in 1974, the nonprofit charity encourages the involvement of women and girls in sport through research, financial aid, advocacy, and community outreach. 

In addition to its launch of Cracker Jill, the company has committed $200,000 to this charity.