__ INTERNATIONAL NEW YORK TIMES 16 | THURSDAY. JUNE26, 2014 Cracker Jack harnessing social media for revival PepsiCo tums to web rather than traditional ads to promote snack 'BYANDREW ADAM NEWHAN 1 would be impomibe to put a dol ‘von no mich "Take Me Out othe Bal Game” the 8s sng ritualy sung by basebal fans during tbe seven -Acumaign a Faecoakisa pio he smal pris ofere in cach ono rake ak. ‘bers an enter cones by roqusting creative suprises with evalu afupto 20. and deliver them in box that re: fembles a Cracker Joc box. Winger funy noun ke ce sraphs and. video of prizes beng presente, and to post them using the hshiag #CHSurprise to social media Ike Titer, Vineor Instagram "The brand declined to celose the costetthe promotion. “in the pas the way we woul have relaunched brand he Cracker Jacks ‘wih bg advertising campgn” sald Me KristnanofPepsice."Butmhen we talked to who one consumer is, that teaming up with Liz Gumbinner the ‘logger ehind MomaO, and, co founderof ine websites Ceol Mos Pisks and Cool Mom Tech. Mis. Gumbiner ‘tl lp promote the efor by posting ‘bouton Con! Mon ck, Titer adn Fansbeek. "Where we ae to doesnot ive us the scale we werelcok- ing for" said Me. rishna, refecingto the narber of Cracker Jack Facebene followers, “and hence our parterstip wane” ‘The Surprise Inside Project kicks ot witan event ia Herald Squat n New ‘York that wil estar oversise Cracker Jack boxes, one mere than 15 fet a, ‘at wil eon prizes that willbe ds ‘euted to enldren Cracker cha ‘Slmilion in sales ~notcountng whet ie sellin apa — forthe 52 weeks that endod May 1, according te TR, a ‘market taf The beandaestinedt ‘eval ts balpar sales totals. In pone alpare reall channels the brand ranked fourth, behind Smarfod (an- ther Fete Lay brand) Skinny Pop and Popeoratndiana acter Jack als is begining a threes sponsontip of the Macys Fourth of ly Fireworks, which vil ‘ve the brandexpesurein Macy'sprint ‘stor the event at promodbnalevents nd daring he cosst ofthe freworks ‘spiayon NBC. “The band alls ekinding ts most osagi associations, with & continu ing pariarstup with Major League ‘Besebal that includes eam sicker’ in ‘ores as priza. In 2004, Yankee Stad- umswitcedfromofering Cracker Jack {0 another caramel com brand, Crunch ‘none, "The docsion left fans_ stunned, sethingand sugar deprived" and Yan. ee offal “aced & liatge fan fase," wroce Corey Kilgannon n The New York Times. at the ume. T¥0 ‘months ato the season, Yanhos Sta. Unsitohodbacte Cracker Jock. "while basebal fans" econ runs ep trisha sid the rand had to ake a balance between nostalgia ‘ndtoday's snackaise “Nostalgia good, butts bad hing ‘tyou dont evlve beyond that" sald ‘Me Kris." Beeuseetherie yOu ars brngalong new audience he tran