The makers of Cracker Jack are throwing their fans a curveball, introducing teammate Cracker Jill.
Frito-Lay, which manufactures the famed baseball snack, released a video on Tuesday highlighting moments in women’s sports and introducing Sailor Jack’s new friend and teammate Cracker Jill, the snack’s first face change in 125 years.
“Take me out to the ballgame. Take me out to the crowd. Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jill. No one can stop you if you have the will,” multiplatinum-selling recording artist Normani sang in the Tuesday video.
Normani said she was proud to join a campaign that was inclusive and empowering to women.
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“As a young girl, I remember being inspired by athletes and artists who looked like me,” Normani said in a press release. “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.”
Tina Mahal, vice president of marketing at Frito-Lay North America, said the snack company wanted to show girls they were represented, even in historic snacks.
“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,” Mahal said in the release. “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 new logo for Cracker Jill features five cartoon women of different heights and ethnicities. Frito-Lay said they are the five most represented ethnicities in the United States, according to data from the Census Bureau.
The snack’s new face is the latest change among major companies looking to emphasize the role of women in the workplace. Minnie Mouse received a new look earlier this year at Disneyland Paris by wearing a polka-dot pantsuit designed by Stella McCartney, which McCartney called a “symbol of progress for a new generation.”
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Cracker Jill will be available at ballparks nationwide to fans who donate at least $5 to the nonprofit Women’s Sports Foundation. Frito-Lay said it donated $200,000 to the foundation.
