McD's Dresses LeBron James for Bowl Entry

January 29, 2010


By Noreen O'Leary, Adweek


Basketball icon LeBron James will be wearing a Golden Arches jersey on Super Bowl Sunday.

The Cleveland Cavaliers forward has signed a multi-year contract with McDonald's -- and his first commercial appearance will be in a remake of the 1993 Super Bowl spot "The Showdown," which featured hoop hall-of-famers Michael Jordan and Larry Bird.

The new James spot, to air during the Feb. 7 pre-game show on CBS, will again feature Bird, along Orlando Magic star Dwight Howard, who recently signed a three-year endorsement deal with the fast-food giant.

In the original ad, Jordon and Bird play a high-stakes game of H-O-R-S-E, with the winner getting Jordon's Big Mac. Each trick shot escalates in difficulty until the final frame, where the two stand atop a skyscraper resembling Chicago's Sears Tower.

Financial details of James' multi-year McDonald's contract were not disclosed.

Independent Translation in New York, led by Steve Stoute, produced the spot.

The pact with James includes his support of several McDonald's programs and promotions, including work for Ronald McDonald House Charities. 

"LeBron is an all-star, both on the court and in the community," Neil Golden, McDonald's USA chief marketing officer, said in a statement. "We're looking forward to working with LeBron to showcase our brand in surprising ways while also raising awareness of and support for Ronald McDonald House Charities."

James said: "McDonald's and I make a great team. We share many of the same core values, including a commitment to excellence and giving back to the community."

McDonald's spent $811 million on ads for its restaurant business during the first 11 months of last year, per Nielsen. For the Ronald McDonald House, it spent $24 million in media during that period.