Since being reestablished as the “CEO” of Jack in the Box a few years ago, besuited mascot Jack Box has rapped on TikTok, starred in ads with Deadpool and made cameos in the fast food brand’s first horror short film. Agency partner TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles continues to search for ways to consistently differentiate the norm-breaking QSR from the pack with help from the clown-headed character.
“Jack in the Box is the place where you can get tacos, egg rolls and fries all in one go — this is our superpower,” said Danela Jimenez, connections director at TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles.
In February, Jack in the Box unveiled its latest creative platform, “So Munch More,” inspired by the distinctive menu approach and its positioning as the home for late-night munchies. The effort launched with TV commercials in which people unconsciously say “munch” instead of “much,” causing Jack Box to appear with the exact item they’re craving. A 30-second ad features a man who fumbles asking for an engagement blessing from his girlfriend’s father while a 15-second spot sees a coach in the hot seat after a bad game and worse press conference.
“Jack in the Box has always been about breaking the rules and giving our fans exactly what they crave, whenever they crave it,” said Ryan Ostrom, the brand’s chief customer and digital officer, in a statement. “Customers today expect more from their food experiences; they want choice, flexibility, and a little bit of fun.”
To extend that fun beyond the quirky TV spots, the multichannel campaign includes several influencer and media partnerships that seek to integrate Jack in the Box more seamlessly into content shared across an increasingly fragmented media landscape.
“We know that consumers still have a presence within ad-supported platforms, but tend to tune out,” Jimenez said. “We’re really trying to build that connection and have that conversation with the consumer. It’s more of an experience versus the hard sell of an ad.”
Munch slips
To that end, the brand recently popped up during an episode of First We Feast’s YouTube show “Hot Ones Versus” that promoted the chain’s hot wings and featured buzzy rapper Doechii. Fresh off winning the award for Best Rap Album at the Grammys, Doechii has quickly become an adland favorite, starring in campaigns from Nike, Sprite and Major League Soccer — good company for Jack in the Box, as well as Jack Box, who appeared in the “Hot Ones Versus” studio at the mention of “munch.”
“It’s bringing that construct from the TV commercials into real lives of consumers, where it can surprise and delight. They weren’t expecting to see Jack pop up in the middle of ‘Hot Ones’… They went crazy in the comments for it,” Jimenez said.
Other partnerships include a tie-up with bilingual digital media outlet Mitú and a host-read ad on “Call Her Daddy,” the most listened to podcast by women on Spotify. Like Doechii, “Call Her Daddy” host Alex Cooper has quickly become a go-to partner for brands, from Pepsi to the National Women’s Soccer League, that are seeking to activate around pop culture.
“We know [‘Call Her Daddy’] is one of the top-consumed podcasts, and it really resonates with our audience. We are going after young [Gen] Z but also don’t want to exclude everybody else from a QSR standpoint,” Jimenez explained. “The partnership encompassed having a complete ownership of QSR within her podcast during the time frame of our campaign.”
“So Munch More” is set to continue this summer, with an announcement planned around a late-night celebrity partnership that follows past work with stars like Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube. While Jimenez remained tight-lipped about the news, the executive promised it will be in line with the culture-hacking approach that Jack in the Box has embraced.
“It is a big celebrity name,” Jimenez said. “It is in our DNA to continue to partner with relevant culture, to speak to our audience, to have our brand stand out.”
