Afro Sheen & Other Classic Black Commercials You Never Forgot
Afro Sheen & Beyond: The Classic Black Commercials You Never Forgot - Page 2

When George E. Johnson founded Johnson Products in 1954 with his wife Joan, the mission was simple: bringing Black beauty to the forefront. What started as a business quickly became a statement and a revolution.
As EBONY Magazine pointed out following Johnson’s passing this week at age 99, “At a time when mainstream beauty brands largely ignored Black consumers, Johnson Products answered the call with innovations like Ultra Sheen and Afro Sheen. The products became staples in homes and barbershops across the country, supporting generations as Black hair evolved from straightened styles to natural Afros, braids, curls and locs. His business wasn’t simply selling haircare. It was affirming identity.”
With its collaboration with the classic show Soul Train, Johnson Products became the first Black-owned company to sponsor a nationally syndicated TV show. Each commercial was carefully crafted to not only promote its products but Black beauty & excellence as a whole. The revolutionary TV spots paved the way for future generations to target the Black community with empathy, consideration, and culture-shifting ideas.
Here are some of those classic Black commercials you will never forget.
Afro Sheen/Ultra Sheen Commercial Collection (1971-1985)
McDonalds “The Showdown” ft. Michael Jordan & Larry Bird
“Mean” Joe Greene for Coca-Cola
Diet Pepsi “You Got The Right One, Baby” with Ray Charles
Nike “Air Jordan III” with Michael Jordan and Spike Lee as “Mars Blackmon”
Coca-Cola “Always Cool” with Tyrese Gibson
McDonalds “Calvin Got a Job”
Nike “The Kobe System” ft. Kobe Bryant
Sprite Commercial ft. Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan & Missy Elliott
Sprite “5 Deadly Women” ft. Eve, Angie Martinez, Mia X, Amil, Roxanne Shante, Millie Jackson, Kool Keith & Swizz Beatz
McDonalds “McNuggets Lovin”
California Raisins “Michael Raisin”
Pepsi “New Generation” ft. The Jacksons & Alfonso Ribero
Posner “Soft Solution” ft. Natalie Cole
Nike “Lil Penny” ft. Penny Hardaway
Corn Pops “Gotta Have My Pops” ft. DulĂ© Hill
Nike “Freestyle” Commercial
Converse “Grandmama” Series ft. Larry Johnson
Converse ft. Magic Johnson & Larry Bird
McDonalds “Can I Play?” ft. Michael Jordan, Larry Bird & Charles Barkley
Afro Sheen & Beyond: The Classic Black Commercials You Never Forgot - Page 2 was originally published on myclassixatl.com