Greene will finally get award for classic ad

[Galax Steeler]

By Teresa Varley
Steelers.com
As a part of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Joe Greene Coke Commercial, the former Steelers great and Hall of Famer will finally receive the Clio Award that the commercial won years ago. The award will be presented to Greene when the Steelers play the Bengals on Nov. 15.

Greene’s classic ad, where he tosses his jersey to a kid who gave him a Coke, won the advertising award back in 1979, but Greene never received it. Instead he will be presented the award in a pregame ceremony at Heinz Field.

Greene and Tom Okon, the kid who he tossed the jersey to, will be on hand for the presentation.

The “Have a Coke and a Smile” commercial features Greene coming down a stadium tunnel in pain on game day, and the young boy offers him help first, and then his Coke.

Greene declines at first, and then accepts. And then the moment that made the ad, when Greene takes the Coke, downs it, and as the young boy is walking away slightly dejected, Greene tosses him his jersey, as the youngster simply replies, “Wow…thanks Mean Joe.”

“We had a lot of takes,” said Greene. “There were a lot of parts. It was two and a half days. I was drinking the Coke. I drank a couple of cases for sure. I knew I drank an awful lot because I belched between my lines a couple of times.”

The ad was a hit from the time it first aired, until today, even though it will no longer be in the running for the top Super Bowl ad ever on a yearly show.

“I had no idea it would be that popular,” said Greene. “Over the years they would show the commercial over and over. They did retire the commercial last year on that show. We won’t see it again.”

Greene said after the ad first aired he would have people approach him, sometimes recognizing him first as a football player, while others knew him from the ad.

“That used to happen quite frequently,” said Greene. “They recognized me as the guy who did the commercial. They would say the football player who did the commercial. There were people who recognized me as the guy in the Coca Cola commercial first and then the football player.”

http://news.steelers.com/article/113546/

[HometownGal]

Excellent! That is my favorite all-time Super Bowl commercial and Mean Joe is deserving of the award.

[steelerchad]

Awesome. I'll be taking my kids to this game, so we'll make sure we get in our seats early.
I would think they would show the commercial on the jumbotron during the ceremony.

[fansince'76]

Originally Posted by HometownGal

Excellent! That is my favorite all-time Super Bowl commercial and Mean Joe is deserving of the award.

Agreed, and I'll even go one step further and say it's my favorite sports/sports-themed commercial ever, period.

[MasterOfPuppets]

anyone ever ask yourself what the kid was doing in the tunnel to begin with ? where was security ? where was the kids parents ?

[Nadroj 20]

Originally Posted by MasterOfPuppets

anyone ever ask yourself what the kid was doing in the tunnel to begin with ? where was security ? where was the kids parents ?

however he did it he got to meet mean joe greene....so who cares

[Psyychoward86]

Best superbowl commercial ever! And the remake from last year with Troy aint so bad either:

[stb_steeler]

Its also one of my favorite photos. I have it framed in my Steeler room. Well done Mr. Greene.........

[Galax Steeler]

Originally Posted by MasterOfPuppets

anyone ever ask yourself what the kid was doing in the tunnel to begin with ? where was security ? where was the kids parents ?

If I thought I could get into the tunnel and meet Greene I would do it to.

[markymarc]

Great news for Greene! IMO the greatest commercial ever produced!