15-cent Jingle

The "15-cent Jingle" is an advertising jingle used for Jack's hamburgers since its founding in 1960. The chain's founder, Jack Caddell, believed strongly in advertising, spending 5% of revenues on marketing, especially on local children's television programs such as Bozo the Clown, Cartoon Clubhouse, and Romper Room. The Sergeant Jack character, played by Neal Miller on WAPI-TV was named for the show's primary sponsor.

The 12-second jingle was composed by Henry Kimbrell and produced by Ed Boutwell at Boutwell Studios. It debuted on November 21, 1960, the day the first location opened its doors. The lyrics are:

Jack's Hamburgers for 15 cents

are so good...good...good,

you'll go back, back, back

to Jack's, Jack's, Jack's

for more...more...more.

Jack's has continued to use the tune in its advertising, sometimes in abbreviated form, and since then "updated" with rock, pop, country and R&B versions.

For Jack's 50th anniversary in 2010, Jack's marketing director Pam Measel asked current Boutwell Studios owner Mark Harrelson to expand the jingle into a full three-minute song, which would be played during a choreographed stage number at the company's employee celebration. The extended version featured Kimbrell's sons Mark and Matt on guitar and drums. Additional instrumentation was added; including David Hood on bass, Macey Taylor on piano, and Bobby Horton on muted trumpet, banjo and fiddle.

References

• Tomberlin, Michael (November 13, 2010) "Birmingham burger franchise Jack's jingle is back, back, back ... for 50th anniversary." Birmingham News