February 19th is Cracker Jack Day

Cracker Jack’s have been an icon in snacking for more than 100 years. Did you know that today in 1912, the first prize was inserted into a Cracker Jack Box?  What a marketing marvel that was!  Every kid who got a box, waited in anticipation (or didn’t wait at all) as they “ripped open” the top of the box to pull out their prize.   And Cracker Jack has become a symbol for many cultural aspects of our lives such as lyrics in songs, mentioned in movies and even used as a metaphor in books.   Although Seth Godin’s book  “Free Prize Inside ~ The Next BIG Marketing Idea ” is not about Cracker Jacks, rather about giving something “extra,” he certainly hit on the principles with his examples of cereal boxes with prizes inside.

So what could you “give” extra to add value to your clients today? What’s your Cracker Jack example?  Feel free to share in the comments section ~ be sure to include a link to your website or blog!

A few Cracker Jack factoids:

According to legend, in 1894 a unique popcorn, peanuts and molasses confection that was the forerunner to Cracker Jack caramel coated popcorn and peanuts is introduced by F.W. Rueckheim and Brother, at the World’s Columbian Exposition, Chicago’s first World’s Fair.

In 1896 Louis Rueckheim, F.W.’s brother and partner, discover the process for keeping the molasses-covered popcorn morsels from sticking together. Louis gives the treat to a salesman who exclaims, “That’s crackerjack!” “So it is,” says F.W. Rueckheim, who then has the words trademarked.

In 1912 prizes were included in Cracker Jack boxes for the first time. Since then, the toy prizes have been replaced with paper prizes displaying riddles and jokes.

1955  Cracker Jack begins advertising on television with the appearance of Cracker Jack on CBS-TV’s “On Your Account” which is televised to 130 stations nationally. Source: http://www.crackerjack.com/home.htm and Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cracker_Jack