This guy was awesome in every way.

For those of you who don't know (you young little whippersnappers), Mac Tonight was a ballsy advertising decision made by McDonalds in the 1980s. They went completely out of the blue, and started putting out quirky commercials that would appeal to the adult generation whilst keeping the charm of the kids characters. They made him a jazzy dude with sunglasses to boot, and even threw in a classic jazz song to appeal to the older folk, but with a McDonalds twist. Even for those of you who hate McDonalds, you have to appreciate the Mac Tonight. They tried (and succeeded, for a time) to tap into a demographic with uncharted potential, and a market that McDonalds was not known for at the time (the late night dinner/supper market). This guy has grown a cult following over the years. In fact, it has been said that if not for the fact that he was shelved by McDonalds (supposedly due to a row with the son of the artist who created the song "Mack The Knife"), Mac Tonight would've become the lead mascot for McDonalds, overtaking the likes of Ronald himself. Videos ensue.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=sZgCs0YoF4M
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=zYb9dTumLAE
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=LaDgTkqF7rY
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=JCtndp3bUZc

In fact, he was so popular that, in countries like Hong Kong and Singapore, they've even made a new commerical with him in it, in his first officially endorsed appearance since 1997.

And just for good measure, here's and excerpt from Mac Tonight's Wikipedia article.

"Mac Tonight was a mascot introduced by McDonald's restaurants in 1986. He was intended to advertise McDonald's late night hours to adults. He had a crescent moon for a head, wore a suit and sunglasses, and was depicted as being a jazzy lounge singer. The name was a play on words of the song "Mack the Knife", made popular in America by Bobby Darin. The song that played over the advertisements, called "It's Mac Tonight", was also a variant on that song, but with McDonald's-themed lyrics, such as those featured in the original 1986 commercial:

"When the stars come out to play, babe
A twinkling show, ooh -- dinner! -- out of sight
Yeah, the night time is golden light time -- big dipper!
At McDonald's (showtime), it's Mac Tonight!"

Other lyrics include this set from a 1987 commercial:

"When the clock strikes half past 6, babe
Time to head for golden lights
It's a good time for the great taste -- dinner!
At McDonald's, it's Mac Tonight
Come on, make it Mac Tonight!"
Mac Tonight is the only character in the McDonald's world to not appear in the McDonaldland advertisements.

Mac Tonight no longer appears in commercials in the United States, but pictures of him can still be seen in some McDonald's restaurants, and on some smaller signage by the restaurant's driveway entrance/exit.

Talk show host (and onetime McDonald's employee) Jay Leno often makes references to his likeness to Mac Tonight and promos for his show during the credits of NBC programming show his face as a moon."

Alot of you guys might hate McDonalds, but you have to give them credit for their ability to make captivating commercials.

Discuss.

McDonald's had no choice. Other fast food outlets were cleanin' house with 24 hour operations right from the late 1960's. I remember how silly it seemed to "close" any fast food place by 1972. Every high school sports squad in my town would gladly stop by the competition after a game while McDonalds locked the doors.

Something seems familiar about that moon head. I guess they quite doin' it when I was real young.

I'm in the process of giving one of my bedroom walls a 1980s theme with photos I've downloaded and printed, including 1980s video/arcade game screenshots and advertisements. That top picture of Mac Tonight is one of many I printed, and will soon be gracing my bulletin board or bedroom wall, next to Pac-Man!!!

Yeah I sure do. I love Bobby Darin , I'm a big fan of his work , and the song Mack The Knife. It actually made we want to eat at McDonald's a lot more than Ronald McDonald.

Yeah we used to call this kid at school that because he had a pointy nose and chin.

I've met a guy who looks like Mac Tonite. I think his name was "Brian."

I vividly remember those commercials. I used to like them.

I was Mac Tonight for Halloween back in 6th grade! They had the costume at this random hole in the wall place so I rented it out. It was cool for the time... although only a few kids knew who I was.

Ahhhh......these were some of my fav McDonald's commercials. Thanks for posting those lyrics. I literally sat here singing them like I just saw the commercial yesterday. I used to have a Mac toy. I think I might still have it in storage somewhere.

Thanks for bringing up this great memory.

"It's MAC TONIGHT!!!"

ewwwie i remember him it was scary to me lol

Before I got my jaw fixed and I had a giant chin, he was one of the characters that I would get told I looked like.

Loved him,..I wish he'd come back to the states,... Mac Tonite is still goin strong overseas in hong kong and singapore and such. thugh now he is CG.. check it out!




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOlLIP9-vlQ


EDIT: Whoops for some reason I didn't read the bottom part of the first post. sorry :P

One of my favorite McDonalds commercials was the original Mac Tonight. Really classy and the guy could sing. I even drew him on the sky in an illustration for a story I wrote in creative writing in school.

I remember the Mac Tonight comercial, I also remember the plastic MacTonight cups they had at McDonalds in 1988, when I was 7.

But of course he should look familiar. He got a wig, moved to Hollywood, and is now known as Oscar-winning actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

But seriously folks, I remember at this one McDonald's restaurant located downtown next to the cinema there was actually a life-sized Mac Tonight figure sitting on display, playing a piano. And there was no shield or anything blocking him from everyone; some kids even climbed up there and would "play" the piano too. :lol: Years later, the cinema remains, but the McD's was torn down years ago. Shame too. My dad used to take us there after we went to the movies and I even got my Robin glass from there.

I had a Mac Tonight toy once upon a time as well.

A few months ago I was telling my 14 year old cousin about Mac Tonight and he thought I made it up until my cousin who is 9 years older than me told him it isn't.

I miss when people would dress as Mac Tonight on Soul Train.