Frito-Lay Adds Cracker Jill to Its Roster to Celebrate Women in Sports
PURCHASE, N.Y. — Frito Lay North America's Cracker Jack is introducing Cracker Jill to its roster to celebrate the women who break down barriers in sports. Cracker Jill comes to life through five different representations on a series of special-edition bags, which were available at the start of this year's baseball season in professional ballparks across the country and via a donation of $5 or more to the Women's Sports Foundation.
"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 the progress," said Tina Mahal, vice president, 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."
To extend its impact, Cracker Jack is donating $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.
"Our foundation is an ally, advocate and catalyst to help unlock the possibilities in every girl and woman through the power of sport," said Danette Leighton, CEO of WSF. "Representation matters. It encourages and inspires the next generation. It's wonderful to see Cracker Jill come to life, emphasizing the power that representation can have by celebrating women who've broken barriers."
Reimagining An American Classic
One of the most well-known ways Cracker Jack is woven into sports culture is through the seventh inning stretch, where the lyrics of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" include "buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack." Tapping into this cultural cornerstone, the Cracker Jack brand partnered with artist Normani to reimagine this iconic song, updating the lyrics to include Cracker Jill and celebrate the tenacity and grit of women and girls in sports.
The video can be viewed below.
"As a young girl, I remember being inspired by athletes and artists who looked like me," said Normani. "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."
The barrier-breaking spirit of Cracker Jill was brought to life by artist and model Monica Ahanonu, an expert in color theory and a trailblazer for Black artists. Her portrait illustrations resonated with the campaign goal of highlighting and celebrating women in sports through strong, determined and vibrant Jills. These unique depictions of Jill also celebrate the remarkable diversity throughout the country, as the five Jills were inspired by the most represented ethnicities in the U.S., per data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Cracker Jack stated.
Cracker Jack brand is one of many Frito-Lay North America brands. Frito Lay is the $18 billion convenient foods business unit of Purchase-based PepsiCo Inc.