Jack In The Box has been around for many years. It is this week's featured commercial because, of all the commercials out there, Jack In The Box wins my coveted "Best Come-Back Of The Decade" award for the second year in a row (see next week's installment for the winner of the not-so-coveted "Worst Commercial Of The Decade" award).
This francise has had its ups and downs, with e. coli in the patties in the early 1990s and then the rise of "Jack's Back". Jack In The Box did something revolutionary coming out of the 1980s: They destroyed their mascot, on television! They blew up the clown! And from that sad, clowny phoenix's ashes arose Jack, the fictional spokesman and man in charge of the whole thing. Wow.
The creative minds behind this brilliant scheme hit a real winner. The new "mascot", Jack, owns the place and has a lot of qualities we as a people envy or strive to put in office. Just look at him! Despite the clown head, he wears the dark blue "Kennedy" suit we like to see Presidents wear because it shows he's in charge, he knows what he's doing, and we can trust him. Yeah, all that in a suit, but his stance, his appearance, even the clown head are all things expected and comfortable in a leader role. He keeps it real, modern, but without alienating any particular demographic. That, and he's got a sense of humor without being a (metaphorical) clown. Ronald McDonald has, as the young ones say, been served.
Of the myriad JITB commercials out there, I want to showcase this one aired a few months ago:
Commercial Rating: PASS
This JITB commercial is a sign of the times. It couches two products, both of which are choices at Jack In The Box instead of one being a competitor's option, in a nice argument between two of Jack's employees. How this commercial varies from most is that Jack turns to the camera and breaks what is called the fourth wall. He speaks directly to the audience. That is an old trick, however, so they modernized the shtick by having one woman suggest to Jack that the two women kiss. Kiss?!
When I heard that on tv, I got on YouTube to play it again and make sure I heard that right. Yes. They had the gumption to show you this marketing scheme in the commercial!
In my generation, men find lesbians hawt. This is a known fact. But just for all those that aren't into same-sex relationships, Jack's neutral reaction and the spoken ploy in the situation still make the commercial funny. The creative minds may even state upon being questioned that they meant it to be innocent and the two women would kiss to make up, but of course we all know what's implied. Lesbianism sells! Theoretically...
In closing, I actually don't recall the name of the product but I do remember vividly the commercial and that it is from Jack In The Box. Remember, the purpose of commercials is to sell the product by having you recall the product and/or the commercial. This and many other JITB commercials rate a definite, if fatty, PASS.
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