Mac Tonight
| Mac Tonight | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||
| Vital statistics | ||||||
| Names | Mac Tonight | |||||
| Gender | Male | |||||
| Race | Human | |||||
| Occupation | Nighttime mascot for the McDonald's fast food restaurant chain, Musician | |||||
| Origin | McDonalds Commerical (Dec. 29, 1986) | |||||
| Alignment | Good | |||||
| Age | N/A | |||||
| Created By | McDonald's, Davis, Johnson, Mogul & Colombatto | |||||
| Height | Varies | |||||
| Weight | Not Stated | |||||
Mac Tonight was a character used in McDonald's marketing during the late 1980s, recognizable by his crescent moon head, sunglasses, and piano-playing persona. He performed a version of the song "Mack the Knife," famously popularized in the U.S. by Bobby Darin. The character was played by Doug Jones and voiced by Brock Walsh throughout the campaign.
Originally created to boost dinner sales by Southern California licensees, MacTonight's popularity led McDonald's to launch the campaign nationwide on August 27, 1987. By 1988, it had spread globally. In 1989, Bobby Darin's son, Dodd Mitchell Darin, sued McDonald's for allegedly infringing on Darin's likeness. Following the lawsuit, McDonald's ceased using the song, and attempts to revive Mac Tonight in the 1990s were unsuccessful.
History[edit | edit source]
Original Marketing Campaign (1986–1989)
The campaign was created by Jim Bennedict and Peter Coutroulis, with the Los Angeles advertising firm Davis, Johnson, Mogul & Colombatto handling its execution on a $500,000 budget. It aimed to increase dinner sales by appealing to baby boomers with a nostalgic 1950s-style theme. The designers chose an anthropomorphic moon character playing a grand piano, either atop a cloud or a giant Big Mac, to foster a cult following.
By 1987, the campaign expanded to the West Coast and, eventually, nationwide, resulting in significant increases in dinnertime business at some McDonald's locations. Doug Jones portrayed Mac Tonight in over 27 of the 29 commercials produced between 1986 and 1997, with Brock Walsh providing the voice.
In 1989, McDonald's was sued by Dodd Mitchell Darin for using his father's song without permission, prompting the company to withdraw the ads. Attempts to replace the song failed, leading to the campaign's discontinuation.
Reintroduction in Southeast Asia (2006–2010)
In 2006, McDonald's reintroduced Mac Tonight in Southeast Asia, with an animated version singing and playing the saxophone atop a McDonald's restaurant. The campaign, developed by Liquid Animation, ran in markets such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand.
Production Details[edit | edit source]
Mask and Animatronics
The Mac Tonight mask, designed by Steve Neill, was motorized with animatronics and required three puppeteers for facial movements. Several restaurants in the early 1990s featured animatronic figures of Mac Tonight playing the piano.
Legacy[edit | edit source]
The character inspired the annual Mac Tonight Gala fundraiser, later renamed the Masquerade Ball by Ronald McDonald House Charities. Mac Tonight also became an icon in vaporwave culture, appearing on the album cover of "Late Night Delight" by Saint Pepsi and Luxury Elite. Mac Tonight was also featured in The Simpsons episodes "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bangalore" as a cardboard cutout, "Fatzcarraldo", and "Burger Kings" via Homer's imagination.
Gallery[edit | edit source]
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