Apple Jacks

Apple Jacks is a brand of cereal produced by Kellogg's and targeted mainly at children. It was introduced to the U.S. as "Apple O's" in 1965 after being invented by William Thilly, a member of Delta Upsilon Technology Chapter and now a professor at MIT. In 1971 the name "Apple Jacks" was put into action by advertisers. The product is described by Kellogg's as a "crunchy, sweetened multi-grain cereal with apple and cinnamon."

Originally, all Apple Jacks cereal pieces were orange and O-shaped, although they have become brighter and more orange colored over the decades. In 1998, O-shaped green pieces were introduced. On December 8, 2003, as part of a marketing promotion, the orange jacks remained Os but the green jacks were Xs for a while (actually, 'jack' shaped, from jumping jacks, the campaign was made as adults made the cereal make 'more sense', as with the flavor), and in summer 2005 the green jacks were figure-8s (double Os) for a period of time.

More recently, Apple Jacks has introduced New Apple Jacks 'Crashers' – a unique cereal piece that replicates a mid 2007 advertising execution when mascots Bad Apple and CinnaMon were accidentally fused together. The latest (limited) edition, in 2010, are Apple Clones, with red pieces shaped like apples. In 2012, Apple Jacks was brought to Canada in a Limited Edition box.