Owing to his massive popularity, Shaquille O’Neal has been asked to be the endorser or the brand ambassador for countless companies. American fast food chain, Burger King stands among companies that O’Neal endorses. As one of their advertisement campaigns, the Los Angeles Lakers star was featured in the iconic “Shaq Pack” commercial in 2002. Clearly taking a page out of Michael Jordan’s book, who was associated with McDonald’s approximately 15 years before the Burger King commercial was released.
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Michael Jordan was undoubtedly the biggest sports icon during the 1980s. Thanks to his on-court dominance, Jordan soon attracted a massive fan following. With the virtue of having every youngster be Like Mike, companies from around the world wanted to associate with the Chicago Bulls star. According to an interview during the 1986-1987 season, a 23-year-old Jordan was earning $4 million annually because of this fact. Among the many endorsements was a McDonald’s deal. Selling his smile to the fast food chain earned MJ as much as $800,000.
Shaquille O’Neal was featured in Burger King’s “Shaq Pack” commercial
The “Shaq Pack” commercial is widely regarded as perhaps the most iconic Burger King advertisement ever made. Released in 2002, Shaquille O’Neal is seen dressed up in all-black leather attire. Walking around while the theme song of “Shaft” plays, the NBA icon interrupts a basketball game. After showing off some of his ball-handling moves, the Big Aristotle dunked the ball before celebrating by taking a bite of the burger. Take a look at the commercial in the following @shaqwithme reel.
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As heard towards the end of the clip, Issac Hayes reveals the contents of the meal – a grilled sourdough bacon cheeseburger, crispy fries with free warm cheddar cheese dipping sauce, and a Coca-Cola.
Shaquille O’Neal has always been a famous personality. But Burger King made the best decision by releasing the commercial in 2002, during the peak of O’Neal’s illustrious career. Coming off a three-peat win, the 7-footer won Finals MVPs for three consecutive years.
It is impressive how Shaq went from working at an outlet of Burger King to being the face of the brand in almost 20 years. As a teenager, wanting a pair of Air Jordans was a goal that Shaq wanted to fulfill, no matter what it took. However, a strict father, Sgt. Philip Harrison wasn’t just going to hand a pair to him. O’Neal had to earn them. Rejecting the proposal of working for his stepfather, the youngster pursued a job at the fast food joint.
Shaq endorses several F&B brands today
A smart businessman, Shaq has gathered a massive $400 million net worth. Apart from making several smart investments and owning some successful ventures, O’Neal endorses a number of companies. The likes of Reebok, JCPenny, and 2K made the wise decision of associating with the big man.
Shaq is popular for endorsing several F&B brands too. Apart from Burger King, the Hall-Of-Famer has also endorsed companies such as Pepsi, Taco Bell, Wheaties, Papa John’s, Oreo, Nestle, and Muscle Milk, among many others. The TNT analyst is also the owner of “Big Chicken”, a fast-food restaurant chain with 18 outlets across the United States of America.
