KFC: Paid Plug at Michael Jackson Memorial?
July 8, 2009 by Sean Kelly
Filed under Business
Was Magic Johnson’s KFC story at Michael Jackson’s memorial a paid product placement?
Magic Johnson received three NBA MVP Awards, appeared in twelve All-Star games and won an Olympic gold medal as a member of the USA “Dream Team.“ In 1996, he was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. In 2002, he was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Yet the greatest moment of Magic Johnson’s life was when he learned Michael Jackson ate Kentucky Fried Chicken?
While Magic’s KFC anecdote during a eulogy at Michael Jackson’s memorial service struck me as bizarre (what MJ-related news isn’t bizarre?), it struck the cynical YouTube commenters as deeply suspicious.
More than a few have accused Magic Johnson of using his moment in front of perhaps hundreds of millions of viewers to slip in a powerful product placement for the fast food chain.
Was Magic Johnson paid to mention KFC? YouTube cynics weigh in.
evegotch wrote:
What’s with the shameless plug for KFC? The greatest moment of his life was when Michael Jackson ate KFC? B.S. Never happened. Magic Johson get’s paid for plugging KFC, he just made 3 million dollars with that statement! Rev. Al Sharpton has publicly boycotted KFC and Magic Johnson is plugging his sponsor at Michael’s memorial!!
upcycle wrote:
I thought the KFC comment was strange. Now I am thinking the Magic Johnson may have struck a contract with KFC for that story. Imagine .. it would be worth multiple millions of dollars to have that spoken in front of hundreds of millions of people, by a popular idol athlete about a popular rock celebrity. Show Me the Money!
Nuca12345 wrote:
Shameless advertising! This useless junkie is just doing brand placement here. Magic starred in a KFC commercial in the late 90s, you can find it by typing Magic Johnson KFC in youtube. Unbelievable that some people fell for it! This is the beginning of my KFC boycott! Totally disgraceful
Could the Magic Johnson anecdote have been – directly or indirectly – a paid product placement for KFC?
KFC could certainly use some positive publicity after the botched Oprah giveaway that frustrated millions and has resulted in class action lawsuits alleging bait-and-switch tactics. And the international viewership of the memorial service is staggering.
But would fast food giant YUM brands and basketball hall-of-famer Magic Johnson really stoop to pitching fast food at a memorial service?
WHAT DO YOU THINK? WAS MAGIC JOHNSON’S KFC STORY A CHARMING REMEMBRANCE OR CALCULATED PRODUCT PLACEMENT FOR KFC?
Actually in a very unflattering biography about Jackson published back in 2005, Diane Dimond mentioned also that Michael Jackson ordered KFC more often than not when he was hungry. So I don’t think this was any paid advertisement, I think it was related because it made Michael more “human” to Johnson in that he didn’t need the chef prepared grilled chicken, he was happy with KFC.
Holly wrote: I think it was related because it made Michael more “human” to Johnson in that he didn’t need the chef prepared grilled chicken, he was happy with KFC.
Thanks for that insight, Holly.
I find it ironic that Magic tells the story to show Michael was regular folks. But the very fact that it’s so surprising to him and others that MJ would eat fast food like the rest of us seems to underscore how people regarded him – different, almost alien.
There was a story a while back claiming that Nichael Jackson thought KFC without the skin would be “organic.” Probably one of the negative overblown stories that were as extreme as all the positive stories are now.
Upon first hearing Magic’s story, I was amused…I wasn’t surprised that Michael loved KFC but, at the same time, I was surprised that Michael loved KFC, if you know what I mean…Everyone knows how good KFC tastes but I was surprised because I always perceived Michael to be a health freak…Come to think of it though, I do recall Michael eating popcorn in his home theatre during Martin Bashir’s “Inside Neverland”…On the issue of whether or not Magic was paid to do a plug for KFC, I doubt that and would be disappointed with Magic if he used such a solemn occasion to do a paid plug…That being said, what matters most is that the story is a true one…Magic saying that eating KFC with Michael was the greatest moment of his life is perhaps exaggerated, at best, and insincere, at worst…Was that moment greater than Magic’s marriage to his wife, than winning a NBA championship, than having his children?…I bet we’ll see Magic in KFC ads in the future…KFC executives and franchise owners must’ve been thrilled at having their product mentioned by Magic in front of billions of viewers around the world…KFC sales must’ve shot upwards after Magic’s comments.
What a bunch of suckers the lot of you failing for some stupid conspiracy theory about Magic…….google KFC Michael Jackson…go ahead…wh wh what is that!? Damn youve been suckered….It’s last year’s news that Michael liked KFC……
and Magic’s comment…think about it folks..it SIMPLY showed Magic that Michael was just like everyday folk…that he wasn’t all stuffy like his preconceived notion was…tell ya what..next time a leaf falls off a tree, grab it, analyze it, and try to figure out what it all means….fucktards