(Commercial) Breaks of the Game: Fuel For Air Jordan

This McDonald’s commercial featuring Michael Jordan aired almost thirty years ago.

Up until a few weeks ago I had never seen it before, I’m guessing majority of you won’t have either. So far only 84 people have watched it, I probably account for at least 15-20 of those views. Since my initial discovery it’s sat dormant in a tab on my browser, waiting for me to get around to doing something with it, so here we are.

Thanks to the wonders of the internet, this little nugget appeared on YouTube a little over two months ago courtesy of this guy, who’s clearly a big fan of hockey and Siskel & Ebert. Thank you Oilerfanatic1 wherever you are. Go Blackhawks!

So now that I’ve done all the hard work for you, all you need to do is kick back and click the play button.

 

 

So there you have it, burgers being advertised as fuel for the gravity defying Michael Jordan. If I’m a kid, teenager, heck even a young man in 1985, I’m buying what Micky D’s is selling. Eat McDonald’s, soar through the sky like Michael Jordan. Take my pocket change now. SOLD.

Yep, back in the day the McPack combo meal would only set you back $2.29 (plus tax), talk about a bargain. As you can also see, a Big Mac was actually big (hard to believe I know) and served in a Styrofoam packaging, which was just the way we liked it. None of this environmentally friendly paper or cardboard business. Shout out to Dennis Leary.

In the opening seconds of the spot, the Bulls star is seen wearing sweat pants, somewhere between sipping his Coke and eating his burger he seems to have lost those. In the closing seconds we see that Air Jordan is decked out his entire Bulls uniform, complete with a pair of  red laced, black toe, Jordan I’s, the missing pants mystery remaining unsolved. His Nike sneakers receive the royal product placement treatment in the opening and closing seconds of the advertisement when Flight 23 is being prepped and then cleared for take off. The Nike marketing machine well and truly in full effect.

As we all know, the young phenom that was taking the NBA by storm went on to become one of the most recognisable and marketable people on the planet. Jordan regularly appeared in many successful McDonald’s commercials over the course of his career, but the one you just watched is by far one of the coolest.