Which advertising agency created Coca-Cola’s 1970s “Mean Joe Greene” commercial?

McCann Erickson created Coca-Cola’s 1970s “Mean Joe Greene” commercial.

The advertisement, commonly known as “Hey Kid, Catch!”, showed a young fan offering Pittsburgh Steelers player Joe Greene a Coca-Cola after Greene appeared tired and injured. Greene then tossed the child his jersey and delivered the memorable line, “Hey kid, catch!”

The commercial aired in 1979 and became one of Coca-Cola’s best-known sports advertisements. Its emotional structure—an intimidating star unexpectedly showing kindness—helped make the spot memorable beyond the product itself.

The agency name is sometimes written McCann Erickson, reflecting the company’s historical branding at the time. The advertisement is also often confused with Coca-Cola’s earlier music-led campaigns, but its central theme was a personal encounter between an athlete and a child.