This “Mean Joe” Coca-Cola Ad From 1979 Is One Of The Greatest
September 30, 2023
In 1979, there was a Coca-Cola commercial that is often regarded as one of the greatest Super Bowl ads ever, if not the absolute best. Despite its initial release in October, it only gained immense popularity when it was aired during the Super Bowl game. Fast forward almost four decades, and Tommy Okon, the former child actor who played the 9-year-old boy in the ad, had a heartwarming reunion with the legendary “Mean” Joe Greene, who is now a Hall of Famer. They came together to fondly recall their shared experience.
During their conversation, Greene revealed that he consumed a staggering 18 bottles of Coca-Cola while filming the ad, admitting, “I didn’t know any better. I chugged the doggone thing over and over and over.”
In response, Okon affectionately remarked, “Not so mean, this guy.”
That particular commercial continues to evoke a smile from me. It was executed so masterfully that it could likely captivate audiences even if it were to be aired today!