YouTube Gold: Be Like Mike
This Gatorade commercial from before Michael Jordan became iconic, is a classic of the form.
In the mid-1980’s, Michael Jordan burst onto the NBA scene like an absolute supernova. He wasn’t a stranger - people knew that he was very good at UNC obviously - but most people didn't realize that he would quickly emerge as a superstar who would dominate not just the NBA but also advertising.
Jordan endorsed many products but his two biggest in his early days were Nike, where his shoes are coveted to this day, and Gatorade.
One of the very best commercials from the Gatorade campaigns was this Be Like Mike spot.
It catches a lot of young athletes emulating Jordan in one way or another, interspersed with shots of the GOAT either hanging with the kids or on the court.
One of the best frames was his legendary shot against the Cleveland Cavaliers from 1989. This was before the Chicago Bulls became iconic and actually Cleveland was favored to win.
It’s a fun commercial, not least of all because the tune that Gatorade used was incredibly catchy.