How Jack in the Box Hacked TikTok Culture
About Ryan Ostrom
Ryan Ostrom, Executive Vice President and Chief Customer and Digital Officer at Jack in the Box, has discussed the company's marketing strategy and digital transformation in several interviews from 2022 to 2025. He stated that the company's marketing strategy is centered on making the brand "more craved" by being culturally relevant, authentic, visible, easy, and distinctive. Ostrom emphasized the importance of maintaining a consistent brand voice across all digital and social channels, including TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter, noting that some brands "miss it because their voice isn't consistent." He also highlighted the shift toward using customer data for personalized one-to-one marketing, saying the company is building the systems and processes to make that data actionable. Ostrom has described Jack in the Box as a late-night brand, with 30% of sales occurring after 10:00 PM, and said the company targets that audience with edgy marketing. He noted that the company has eliminated legal review from its social media content process to be more authentic and real. Ostrom discussed the company's use of AI for tasks such as writing emails, generating taglines, and creating visual content, while cautioning that brands must find the right balance to avoid losing their "soul and passion." He also addressed the company's expansion plans, stating that Jack in the Box aims to enter Chicago and Florida next, with New York targeted for approximately three years out.