Mac Tonight

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.

Talk show host 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.

Advertising campaign

The campaign included 29 commercials, initially airing from 1986 to 1997. Doug Jones played Mac Tonight in 27 of them. A number of 3-inch hard plastic Mac Tonight toys were available in Happy Meals. Mac Tonight also was a cameo in a Big Mac commercial in 1988, as a costumed greeter when the man entered McDonald's. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_8lq5ot0FA] In 1997 and 1998, McDonald's sponsored Bill Elliott's #94 NASCAR, with Mac Tonight featured on the hood artwork. During the late 1980s through the early 1990s, people in Mac Tonight costumes used to greet McDonald's customers, along with Ronald, Grimace, etc.

Return

In 2007, Mac Tonight was given a CGI makeover and starred in a new commercial in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and The Philippines. He is no longer seen flying over the earth or a city with a piano, but instead he dances on top of a McDonald's store singing and playing a saxophone. He also has a different, slightly gruffier voice, and new lyrics. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOlLIP9-vlQ] All references to "Mack the Knife" have been removed, partially because Bobby Darin's estate didn't approve of the re-working. Darin also disapproved of Mac Tonight's obvious heroin problem as well as homosexual tendencies.

::"All day and all night, step out for a bite."::"Oh for treats that delight, --24 Hours a day!"::"Come down to Mac Tonight, hey!"::" [Plays a Short Piece on a Saxophone] "::"Chill out, "(name of country)", McDonald's is 24 Hours"::"Come down to Mac Tonight, -24 Hours 'round the clock."::"Come on down to Mac Tonight!"

Recently, Taiwan has begun to run Mac Tonight ads with Mac speaking Mandarin Chinese. Similarly, Hong Kong has a new commercial featuring the character, in which Mac Tonight is voiced by singer Eason Chan, in order to promote local branches' new 24-hour operation schedule.

Trivia

Some Mexican McDonald's restaurants offer a similar service with no official name (usually called "McNoche" (McNight), "McDonald's de noche" (McDonald's at night) or Mc24h (h meaning horas, hours). The restaurants close at late hours in the night and offer adult-oriented supplies.

Cultural references

* On "The Simpsons" episode "Kiss Kiss Bang Bangalore," Homer uses a cardboard cutout of Mac Tonight as a surrogate father for his kids when Homer is chosen to travel to India to train new nuclear plant workers.

External links

* [http://www.advertisingiconmuseum.com/inside/c01/3237050.html Information on Mac Tonight at Advertisingiconmuseum.com]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaDgTkqF7rY Mac Tonight commercial (youtube.com)]
* [http://www.thedougjonesexperience.com/mactonight.htm Doug Jones as 'Mac Tonight']
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOlLIP9-vlQ 2007 Mac Tonight Commercial from Singapore]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmx62JfeWwk 2007 Mac Tonight Commercial from Hong Kong]