Jack in the Box Debuts Interactive Site
Fast food retailer Jack in the Box Inc. is upgrading its online marketing effort with a new website offering interactive and entertainment features.
The redesigned
Jack in the Box site allows users to take a guided tour led by an animated version of “Jack,” the retailer’s fictional mascot, and interact with the Jack character offsite by having him make personalized phone calls and/or send personalized emails on their behalf. The site also features widgets users can download to their profiles on Facebook and other social networking sites. In addition, users can watch television commercials and obtain access to information such as nutritional content, menu items and store locations.
Jack in the Box began promoting the new site in a
series of television ads in February and early March of 2009 that featured the “Jack” character coming out of a life-threatening coma to announce new initiatives that include a restaurant re-image program, an updated logo, and new menu items as well as the upgraded website. The ads encouraged viewers to interact with the Jack character via social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.
A number of other fast food retailers have also recently been involved in reinvention efforts. McDonald’s is
running a two-day promotion of a new snack-sized version of its signature Big Mac sandwich called the “Mac Snack Wrap” in Canada, following a number of
major promotional efforts in 2008. Burger King is currently experimenting with
45 new menu items and also recently launched a new
café-style restaurant concept called the “Whopper Bar.”
In the social networking arena, pizza chain Papa John’s is currently running a
special promotion for Facebook users tied to the upcoming men’s collegiate basketball championship and ran a successful
pizza giveaway promotion for Facebook users last fall.
Same-store sales figures indicate that despite the recession, the fast food retail vertical is experiencing growth.
Jack in the Box operates more than 2,170 fast food hamburger restaurants in 18 states. In addition, through a wholly-owned subsidiary, the company operates and franchises the Qdoba Mexican Grill, casual dining chain that has more 470 restaurants in 42 states and the District of Columbia; and also operates a proprietary chain of 61 convenience stores called Quick Stuff, each built adjacent to a full-size Jack in the Box restaurant and including a major-brand fuel station. Jack in the Box’s total fiscal 2008 revenues were $2.5 billion, a small increase from fiscal 2007.
