TV ads reached their pinnacle when NBA superstars forayed into it, most notably when Michael Jordan starred for Mcdonald’s.
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TV ads with NBA stars are rife these days, you can see one almost every other minute. The sport’s global acclaim combined with the household name of superstars has made them the most marketable athletes in America.
Almost all the big-name NBA stars these days are associated with a big brand. You can find them in some sort of Ad or another. But not too long ago, it wasn’t like this. The exploitability of NBA stars was yet to be discovered and despite them featuring in TV ads regularly, they weren’t able to captivate the masses.
Enter Michael Jordan. The greatest player to have graced this game. His arrival was nothing short of spectacular. And when he finally fulfilled his destiny, there was one brand ready to jump ship, Mcdonald’s!
Also read: Michael Jordan protects his $1.57 billion franchise by not playing 1-on-1 with his Hornets players
Michael Jordan wants a $2.28 Big Mac instead of a 4th championship right after completing his three-peat!
Fresh off winning your third title in a row, what do you wanna do? Relax unwind, or are you still competitive enough? Michael’s answer was that he wanted a Big Mac.
Mcdonald’s marketing team pulled all the tricks out of their bag for this one. As soon as he won his third, “the dessert” as per the brand, they rushed to ask him if he was hungry for his 4th championship. Michael’s reply “I’m hungry for a Big Mac!”.
At the time a Big Mac costs a measly $2.28, we aren’t too sure if MJ really wanted it but the ad did its magic. Audiences were firmly captivated.
That ad was the start for Mcdonald’s. They later launched another ad, perhaps their most famous one, where MJ and Larry Bird play a game of HORSE. The prize? You guessed it, a Big Mac.
