Frito-Lay® Introduces Cracker Jill™ to Support and Celebrate Women in Sports

Cracker Jack^® commits $200,000 to the Women's Sports Foundation and invites fans to also donate in exchange for a special-edition Cracker Jill^™ bag  

Tied to the brand's baseball roots, Cracker Jack^® partners with award-winning artist Normani to record a reimagined version of the ballpark classic, "Take Me Out to the Ball Game"  

PLANO, Texas, April 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- After more than 125 years as one of sport's most iconic snacks, Cracker Jack^® is adding 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 America's favorite pastime, 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 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."

Empowering Communities
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. To further support the Foundation's work in gender equity, Cracker Jack^® is encouraging fans to donate to WSF via this link. As a thank you, Cracker Jack^® will send a Cracker Jill™ bag to fans who donate $5 or more, while supplies last.

"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, WSF CEO. "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 award-winning 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. Fans can listen to the song and watch the music video here.

"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 colorful 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.

Truly embodying the campaign's mission, the team behind this initiative is led by women and underrepresented creatives. In addition to Ahanonu, the Cracker Jill^™ campaign is fueled by powerful female and non-binary voices, including the "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" creative director, Ro Haber, the entire film crew, and the Cracker Jack^® team.

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 member of the team roster and part of the brand ethos.

To learn more about Cracker Jill and to donate to the Women's Sports Foundation, fans can visit CrackerJill.com.

About Cracker Jack
Cracker Jack brand has been an American favorite for over 120 years and is one of many Frito-Lay North America brands— the $18 billion convenient foods business unit of PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, NY. Learn more about Frito-Lay at the corporate website, http://www.fritolay.com/, and on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/fritolay.

About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated $70 billion in net revenue in 2020, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lays, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with PepsiCo Positive (pep+). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.

About Women's Sports Foundation
The Women's Sports Foundation exists to enable girls and women to reach their potential in sport and life. We are an ally, an advocate and a catalyst. Founded by Billie Jean King in 1974, we strengthen and expand participation and leadership opportunities through research, advocacy, community programming and a wide variety of collaborative partnerships. The Women's Sports Foundation has positively shaped the lives of millions of youth, high school and collegiate student-athletes, elite athletes and coaches. We're building a future where every girl and woman can #KeepPlaying and unlock the lifelong benefits of sport participation. All girls. All women. All sports ^®. To learn more about the Women's Sports Foundation, please visit www.WomensSportsFoundation.org. 

SOURCE Frito-Lay North America