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© History Oasis
The Jack in the Box Jack mascot was eliminated in 1980 when executives blew him up for being "too childish," then resurrected him in 1994 after the E. coli crisis nearly killed the company.
Over the years, Rick Sittig has directed nearly 400 Jack commercials over 21 years (1994-2015), building consistent personality and storylines that treated the mascot as a real CEO.
1941
Robert Peterson opened Topsy's Drive-In in San Diego, creating what later became Jack in the Box. The restaurant featured circus-themed decor with a starry-eyed clown imagery that would evolve into the Jack fast food mascot concept a decade later.
1951
Peterson converted his El Cajon Boulevard location into Jack in the Box on February 21st. The restaurant pioneered drive-through service with a two-way intercom system. The drive-through used a clown head that spoke to customers through the ordering device.
1960s-1970s
The Jack in the Box mascot became a national sensation via television commercials starring child actor Rodney Allen Rippy. The campaigns featured Rippy struggling with oversized Jumbo Jack burgers while delivering the memorable catchphrase about food being too big to eat.
1980
The company dramatically shifted its marketing strategy by blowing up the Jack mascot in television commercials. Management believed the clown imagery was too childish for their target adult demographic and briefly renamed locations Monterey Jack's.
1993
Jack in the Box was in crisis when contaminated beef patties killed four children and hospitalized hundreds in Seattle. The food safety scandal pushed parent company Foodmaker Inc. toward bankruptcy, forcing a complete operational overhaul and systematic safety reforms. Lawsuits multiplied while customer traffic collapsed. The scandal required a radical brand redesign.
1994
Creative director Rick Sittig at TBWA Chiat Day reimagined Jack the mascot as a revenge-seeking businessman returning to reclaim his company. The debut commercial showed Jack exploding the boardroom in retaliation for his 1980 destruction. It became the most successful mascot campaign in fast food history. In the commercial, Jack took responsibility for the E. coli outbreak.
1996
In a humorous parody during the 1996 Presidential campaign, Jack expanded beyond food marketing by running for President against Bill Clinton and Bob Dole. The campaign generated nationwide attention through television spots, bumper stickers, and campaign buttons. Jack beat both candidates in virtual polling systems.
1997
Rick Sittig founded Secret Weapon Marketing after TBWA Chiat Day chose Taco Bell over Jack in the Box. He disguised the office as a seafood operation and made Jack in the Box his sole client. This gave Sittig full creative control of the mascot.
1998
Jack was featured in a COPS-style parody where he confronted critic Brad Haley. The handheld camera commercial showed Jack chasing down and forcing the critic to try Jack in the Box food. The spot won a Gold Lion at Cannes.
2009
Jack was struck by a bus in a Super Bowl commercial, beginning a months-long storyline about his hospitalization and recovery. The extended narrative treated Jack as a real person.
2015
Jack in the Box severed ties with Rick Sittig after twenty-one years, citing a desire to move away from sarcastic humor toward optimistic messaging. The decision ended the most creative period in Jack's history, replacing nearly 400 commercials' worth of character continuity with data-driven but boring marketing approaches.
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