Delayed Response Brings LeBron McDonald’s Spot Back into Focus

By Jordan Teicher 

Considering game 7 is tonight, let’s just call this timely. This McDonald’s commercial from Arnold featuring Stephen A. Smith and LeBron James (sort of) isn’t exactly new, but it’s taken on some belated relevance following the headbandless fourth quarter performance from King James in last night’s NBA Finals Game 6. Once you get over the fact that Stephen A. is in a commercial, and the fact that the typical ESPN #embracedebate could be replaced in this case with #embracerecedinghairlines, you’ll see that the “greatest of all time” discussion usually reserved for LeBron vs. Michael Jordan discussions has been morphed, with good spirits, into a battle between chicken nuggets and hamburgers.

In a second local spot, Stephen A. apparently used the hashtag #headbandontootight in relation to LeBron’s fondness for fatty fried chicken and accidentally struck viral marketing gold for Arnold Worldwide. Nevermind that LeBron probably hasn’t had a chicken nugget in 8 years – when the timing is right, the timing is right.

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Credits after the jump.

Chief Creative Officer: Pete Favat
SVP, Creative Director: Craig Miller
VP, Creative Director: Pete Shamon
Art Director: Marcus Chin-Quee
Copywriter: Jeff Vitkun
Business Affairs: Jen Wrentmore
Sr. Broadcast Producer: Sean Vernaglia
Producer: Whitney Bogosian
Sr. Group Marketing Director: Catherine Ellefson
Sr. Marketing Producer: Dan Gross
Production Company: Hungry Man
Director: Dave Laden

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