’90s Nostalgia Is The Theme Of Jack In The Box’s TikTok Music Campaign

Jack in the Box is channeling the charm of the 90s to resonate with millennial and Gen Z music enthusiasts on TikTok.

The brand is doing this to promote its limited time item, the Jack Wraps via TikTok with its partnership with rising music star KTLYN. On January 10th, Jack in the Box published a TikTok video featuring its mascot, encouraging viewers to visit a Jack in the Box location to try the Jack Wrap, accompanied by the original song. KTLYN responded with her remixed version of the Jack Wrap Rap song on January 16th, crafted by Song Candy Media. The financial terms of the agreement between all parties were not disclosed.

Morgan Higgins, Jack in the Box’s Director of Social Media, expressed the brand’s perpetual search for innovative methods to make a mark on social media. With TikTok’s emphasis on authenticity, it becomes the perfect platform to embody a brand’s essence. Song Candy Media took on the task of creating the campaign’s beat, acknowledging the crucial role that music plays on TikTok. The inspiration for the beat was drawn from the current trend of 90s hip-hop in both music and TikTok.

“We know that music remixes are huge right now, most importantly on TikTok, so no matter what, the beat had to feel like it was inspired by something we all know and listen to,” she said. “Being a native west coast brand, we immediately got the inspiration from west coast hip-hop knowing it could engage both the Gen Z and Millennial generations.”

Recognizing that the campaign centered around promoting the new Jack Wraps—available in both “classic” and “spicy” versions—the team foresaw KTLYN as the ideal fit for adding a spicy twist to Jack’s classic beat. Jack in the Box will advertise its limited-time Jack Wraps during the Super Bowl and offer Free Delivery for loyalty members who download the Jack app on Super Bowl Sunday. 

Higgins explained that the brand partnered with KTLYN because she holds a significant fondness for Jack in the Box, having grown up in San Diego, where the headquarters are located. Naturally, she shares a connection with the brand. Both Higgins and Jack in the Box have closely observed her content and are avid admirers of her unique approach to popular songs, where she adds her own creative twist.

In Hootsuite’s analysis of social media data, the original video on Jack in the Box’s TikTok account has received over 240,000 views and the remixed version on KTLYN’s account has over 27 million views. Through music, Jack in the Box hopes to engage its audience on TikTok like Dolby did with Jennifer Lopez on Instagram.

Additionally, Jack in the Box has a creator collective of over 50 creators established, encompassing diverse verticals and niche areas of TikTok, spanning from comedy to gaming. The team leverages these creators to generate authentic content for the platform. Ensuring a connection with its audience, the brand ties each content piece intricately to a brand truth. The team evaluates the creative aspect by looking for content that evokes laughter, encourages group sharing, and reflects authenticity.

“We listen to our fans! I think this is the number one thing brands do wrong on social media. They think they know what consumers want from all the data and research. Yes, we use that to inform our content, but ultimately the customers are there telling you the truths of their brand experience, now make that truth come to life through a TikTok trend,” said Higgins.

Empower’s Head of Influencer Marketing, Greg Curtis, said that the campaign’s focus on original and entertaining content, specifically rap songs in classic and spicy versions, exemplifies a deep understanding of social media dynamics and TikTok trends. As Curtis pointed out, the campaign’s high levels of engagement, comments, and demand for more content underscores its success in raising brand awareness.

“Collaborating with the rising star KTLYN amplified the Jack Wraps Campaign’s influencer marketing impact. Her local roots, unique style, and past TikTok triumphs aligned seamlessly with the campaign’s goals, injecting authenticity and relatability. The adaptation of the Jack Wrap Rap to KTLYN’s sonic signature not only showcased thoughtful alignment but also reinforced the campaign’s resonance within the TikTok community,” said Curtis.