Mac Tonight

Performing live at selected McDonalds restrauants!

Because I didn’t do a post last week, I decided to post another one to make it up for all of you. After debating what to discuss for my next forgot advertisement I choose something from McDonald’s category cause they have at least 50 years worth of forgotten advertisements.

Mac Tonight was McDonald’s other mascot for evening entertainment at all participating McDonalds. He was a crescent moon headed man who plays jazz on a piano which is on a floating cloud hovering over a McDonald. He was first introduced in 1986 as a mascot to appeal to adults like how Ronald McDonald appealed to kids. However kids were familiar with him and it was perfectly alright for kids to be fans of him cause there’s nothing about the character that would cause parents to be concern about. Mac Tonight’s name is a pun on the song “Mac the Knife” which was made popular by Bobby Darin. Throughout the course of 9 years, Mac Tonight appeared in a total of 29 commercials in America from 1986-1997. In 27 of the 29 commercials had Doug Jones(Abe from Hellboy) portrayed Mac Tonight. Despite him being aim towards older viewers, the character was seen greeting kids along with Ronald McDonald at various McDonalds. Along with a 3 inch plastic Happy Meal toy made with his likeness. The character has made an impact in American culture throughout the years. Jay Leno often jokes on his own show that he looks like Mac Tonight. While the character was featured as part of a hood artwork on Bill Elliot’s NASCAR #94.

A Mac tonight displayed at Greenfield, WI

By 1998, McDonalds no longer uses Mac Tonight for their American advertisements. His image can still be seen at certain McDonalds as well as museums and antique shops. Throughout his nine-year popularity, he never once appeared in any of the McDonaldland or McWorld commercials. Making him one of the fewest mascots of McDonalds’ to not interact with Ronald McDonald. I always wonder what it been like if we saw Ronald & Mac Tonight advertising together in McDonaldland. The character has been partly forgotten throughout the past 13 years, however back in 2007 Mac tonight was revived in McDonald’s third world country commercials. He was given a CGI redo instead of a guy wearing a mask, he no longer has a floating cloud or a piano and now only does jazz on top of a McDonald’s roof with a saxophone. His voice is now more gruffier with some new lyrics to his trademark song. These commercials on air in Singapore, South Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia, Phillipines, & China. In Hong Kong he is portrayed by singer Eason Chan for their version of the character.

While the character isn’t a common mascot from McDonalds anymore, he is still parodied or mention from time to time. Luckily he made a come back in other countries, wonder if he’ll make a comeback in America again anytime soon?

References:

http://www.thedougjonesexperience.com/mactonight.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_Tonight