Jack Delivers on Jumbo Spoof

Most of the new spots for Jack-in-the-Box, produced by Foodmaker Inc.’s new agency, Kowloon Wholesale Seafood Co.-Santa Monica, focus on antenna balls distributed at the fast-food restaurants. The grabber in the series is the commercial that doesn’t. It’s a witty retro spot that brings Jack back to the 1970s, managing to pitch a Jumbo Jack and spoof an entire era in a mere 30 seconds. Jack sports brown shoulder-length hair, and his three assistants are sassy Mod Squad throwbacks. One of them pops a cassette into a Beta Max (yes, a Beta) and a commercial within a commercial appears: a juicy Jumbo Jack swirling in psychedelic colors. The spot ends with Jack & Co. doing the Bump. The generous use of Day-Glo orange and green makes the commercial stand out from others on TV. The spot combines humor with a selling message. $$$$