Cracker Jack getting rid of toy prizes, replacing them with digital game codes

[KamaAina]

http://www.sfgate.com/food/article/Cracker-Jack-getting-rid-of-toy-prizes-7378532.php

Oh sure, just ruin one of the joys of childhood, Cracker Jack.

The sweet popcorn snack announced last week that it is replacing its toy prizes with "baseball-inspired mobile digital experiences." Instead of a silly (but fun!) temporary tattoo, Cracker Jacks will come with a code that you can scan from your phone. From there, you can play various baseball-type phone games (after you've downloaded the Blippar app).

"We are a brand that authentically reminds people of simpler times, childhood memories and family experiences," senior director of marketing Haston Lewis said in a press release.

Yeah, Haston. Simpler times like "back when I didn't have to download an app to enjoy a toy in my Cracker Jack."

[Iggo]

1. Sticky shit.

[Orrex]

2. Crackerjack toys have been rather lackluster for decades

Here's a comment I posted a decade ago, in fact:

In my most recent box of Cracker-Jacks, the prize was a 1 x 1.5 inch square of paper with Abraham Lincoln's picture stamped on it, with a half-inch horizontal slit at the midpoint. It was, believe it or not, a pencil topper.

[kentauros]

3. No more cheap compasses to replace the broken one on your submarine, I guess.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

4. When I was a kid (1960s)my dad was an exec at Cracker Jack. He used to bring home fistfulls of toys.

Back then they had marble games, books, stap-together toys, etc.

[mainer]

6. Sounds like you had the coolest dad!

I LOVED the old Cracker jack toys.

[NV Whino]

5. Probably just as well

The "toys" in recent years haven't been great.

I remember the great stuff from my childhood, though. Compasses and all sorts of good stuff.

[callous taoboy]

7. Wish I would have collected all my prizes from the 60's and 70's.

I remember being constantly surprised by them. They had really cool things back then and my mom used to buy me a box for being patient while she shopped.

[Baitball Blogger]

8. I want my little green plastic saw!

My asshole sister got jealous and threw it in a cornfield. I was four.

[Wolf Frankula]

9. Are they going to the Illagernak out too?

That stuff tastes like moose hair and causes cancer in walruses.

Wolf

[cyberswede]

10. Lately, they all seem to be made of paper...

I liked the little pinball-like games the best. I have this one:

[LynneSin]

11. The toys suck anymore anyways

You use to be able to get rings and those tiny 3D things and get the tiny ball in the hole thingies.

Now it's crappy tattoos.

At least it's a step up.