Mark Hamill Makes an Epic Comeback in Jack in the Box Campaign from TBWA\Chiat\Day LA

Jack in the Box is bringing back its most famous employee, Mark Hamill, to announce the return of Jack’s fan-favourite Spicy Chicken Strips and French Toast Sticks in an all-new campaign titled, 'The Return of Mark Hamill'. 

The campaign created in collaboration with advertising agency TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles marks the first set of creative work by the AOR for the brand since 1997. 

From a strategic standpoint, TBWA\Chiat\Day LA is on a quest to restore the legacy of Jack Box and continue his legendary reign as CEO of Jack in the Box. For everything the agency does, it leads with W.W.J.B.D. (What would Jack Box do?) 

The duo tells the story of epic comebacks, from the homecoming of Jack in the Box’s most famous employee Mark Hamill to the limited return of Jack’s Spicy Chicken Strips and French Toast Sticks. 

What fans may not know is that Mark Hamill was once fired from Jack in the Box for impersonating a clown in the drive thru, but now he’s back… for a limited time, just like the Spicy Chicken Strips and French Toast Sticks.

As a teenager in the '70s, Mark, already an aspiring actor, worked at Jack in the Box, and when he finally had the opportunity to work the drive-thru, he decided it would be fun to do a clown voice. So he did. He was ultimately let go for not taking the role seriously enough… unfortunate for him at the time but as it would turn out better for the rest of the galaxy.

The integrated campaign will include 15-second for TV & CTV running with ample weighting in high-reach football properties as well as a full suite of paid social support across TikTok, Snapchat, Twitter, and Meta properties. Additional support will plaster the spots across YouTube, Spotify, and Pandora radio. Media planning for the campaign was carried out by Carat.

The production company behind the project is Station Film. Director Brendan Gibbons said: “The TBWA/Chiat team are a great bunch who came up with the idea to bring Mark back to the place he worked before he was an actor. That’s a great hook. We worked together to find a bunch of funny stuff we could hang on that hook. And what a pleasure Mark was. A great sport and a true gentleman.”

Jason Karley, group creative director, TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles, says: “Jack has always been at his best when he’s not just a mascot but CEO. So we’re going to be exploring what happens when a mascot runs the company… like making crazy decisions to bring back two fan favorite foods and his most popular former employee, Mark Hamill.”

“Our Spicy Chicken Strips and French Toast Sticks are two of Jack in the Box’s fan-favorite menu items, and we’re excited to bring them back for a limited time along with our most famous former employee, Mark Hamill," says Sheena Dougher, senior director, marketing communications, Jack in the Box