Michael Jackson for Suzuki Love
Michael Jackson was the King of Pop, but in the ’80s, he was also the king of baffling endorsements. One of the strangest? His partnership with Suzuki to promote the Love scooter in Japan. Picture it: the world’s biggest superstar singing and dancing in a commercial for a tiny, not-so-exciting motorbike. The ads were full of Michael’s signature moves, but there was something undeniably weird about seeing him moonwalk next to a scooter. The campaign was huge in Japan, but in the U.S., most fans had no idea it even existed. It’s not exactly the product you’d expect from the guy who gave us Thriller. Maybe a leather jacket? A bedazzled glove? Even a Pepsi bottle made sense. But a scooter? The contrast between MJ’s larger-than-life persona and this practical little bike was hilarious says Smooth Radio.
Even funnier, the commercials featured dramatic slow-motion shots of Jackson looking serious while sitting on the scooter, as if he were about to ride off into the sunset. Instead of looking cool, though, it just made him seem oddly out of place. The ads tried to sell the Love scooter as sleek and stylish, but the entire campaign was just…awkward. It’s like watching a rock star try to sell a lawnmower. Despite the weirdness, the commercials are a nostalgic goldmine today. Seeing Michael Jackson casually trying to make a scooter look glamorous is peak ’80s absurdity. The campaign didn’t exactly make waves outside Japan, but it remains one of the oddest choices in MJ’s endorsement history.
Hulk Hogan for Pastamania
Hulk Hogan was on top of the wrestling world in the ’80s, but somehow, that led to…pasta? Yes, in 1985, he launched his own restaurant, Pastamania, and endorsed it with all the enthusiasm of a championship match. The concept was simple: a fast-food pasta joint where everything had a wrestling-themed name. You could order “Hulk-a-Roos” (which were just regular pasta shapes) or “Hulk’s Power Pasta,” which was spaghetti with meat sauce. Hogan even filmed TV commercials where he ranted about how Pastamania was going to “run wild” on America. Spoiler alert: it did not. The restaurant opened at the Mall of America, but it barely lasted a year before disappearing explains WRRV.
What makes this endorsement so bizarre is that Hogan had absolutely no connection to Italian food. He wasn’t known for his cooking skills, nor did he have any culinary expertise. He just loved branding everything with his name, and somehow, pasta got thrown into the mix. Imagine walking into a mall food court and seeing a giant photo of Hulk Hogan flexing next to a plate of spaghetti. It’s hard to say what’s weirder—the fact that this ever existed or the fact that Hogan genuinely believed it would be the next big thing. Looking back, Pastamania is a hilarious example of ’80s celebrity overconfidence.
Bruce Willis for Seagram’s Wine Coolers
Bruce Willis wasn’t always the tough, gritty action star we know today. Before Die Hard, he was the face of Seagram’s Wine Coolers, and the ads were…something else. In the commercials, Bruce danced around, sang jazzy little tunes, and basically acted like the life of a backyard barbecue. The whole vibe was shockingly laid-back for someone who would later become John McClane. He wore a fedora, played the harmonica, and tried his best to make wine coolers seem like the coolest drink ever. But let’s be honest—no amount of charisma can make wine coolers seem tough. The campaign ran for years, and Willis looked like he was genuinely having a great time according to Backstage.
The weirdest part? He actually pulled it off. Despite the odd pairing, the commercials became pretty iconic. They had this strange charm, like a mix of a beer ad and a lounge act. But once Die Hard came out, Bruce distanced himself from the whole thing. It’s hard to imagine John McClane sipping a wine cooler while battling terrorists, after all. Today, the ads feel like a relic from an alternate universe where Willis became a jazz musician instead of an action hero. It’s proof that in the ’80s, if you were famous, you could sell just about anything—even sugary, slightly alcoholic fruit juice.
Arnold Schwarzenegger for Japanese Energy Drinks
Arnold Schwarzenegger was one of the biggest action stars of the ’80s, but in Japan, he was also the face of a chaotic energy drink campaign. He starred in a series of over-the-top commercials for a brand called Arinamin V, and they are truly something to behold. In the ads, Arnold does all the usual action-hero things—yelling, flexing, breaking things—but in the most ridiculous way possible. At one point, he screams while holding a tiny bottle of the drink as if it’s the most powerful thing in the universe. In another, he has a wild, unhinged expression while chanting “POWER!” It’s a level of intensity that feels completely unnecessary for an energy drink explains the New York Times.
What makes these ads so bizarre is that they feel more like comedy sketches than real commercials. Arnold, who was already known for his over-the-top personality, goes even further into the realm of insanity. The commercials make no sense, but that’s part of their charm. They’re a glimpse into a world where anything can be an action scene—even drinking a vitamin drink. The ads were hugely popular in Japan, but they didn’t air in the U.S., which is a shame because they might be the greatest thing Arnold ever did outside of The Terminator.
Mr. T for the FlavorWave Oven
Mr. T was known for being tough, but in the ’80s, he also wanted you to know he could cook. Enter the FlavorWave Oven, a bizarre kitchen gadget that he enthusiastically endorsed. The commercial featured Mr. T standing in a kitchen, dramatically explaining how this contraption could cook food “faster, healthier, and better.” Watching him excitedly describe how the FlavorWave could roast a chicken was both mesmerizing and confusing. Here was one of the toughest guys of the decade, suddenly transformed into an infomercial host. It’s the kind of thing that makes you wonder how these deals even happen says the Sun.
The best part? Mr. T was totally committed to the bit. He wasn’t just reading lines—he genuinely seemed pumped about this oven. The ad had all the hallmarks of an ’80s infomercial: exaggerated reactions, dramatic voiceovers, and a crowd that was way too excited about a kitchen appliance. But even with all that, it was still Mr. T selling a glorified toaster. It’s hard to imagine kids who idolized him rushing out to beg their parents for a FlavorWave, but the commercial remains one of the funniest examples of a celebrity endorsement gone completely off the rails.
Whitney Houston for Sanyo
Whitney Houston had one of the most powerful voices of the ’80s, but in Japan, she was also the face of Sanyo electronics. That’s right—the same voice that gave us “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” was used to sell boomboxes and TVs. The commercials featured Whitney singing and smiling while holding various Sanyo products, as if the secret to her legendary vocals was a really good cassette player. There’s something hilarious about seeing one of the most glamorous stars of the decade enthusiastically advertising home appliances. It’s not like she needed the money—by this point, she was already a global superstar.
What makes this endorsement so bizarre is the way the ads try to make Sanyo products seem almost magical. Whitney’s voice swells in the background while the camera zooms in dramatically on a radio or a TV screen. It’s as if the commercial is saying, “Buy this stereo, and maybe you’ll sound like Whitney Houston.” The combination of high-energy pop music and very basic household electronics is oddly charming. The ads were a big deal in Japan, but they never really made waves elsewhere. Still, they’re a fun reminder of a time when even the biggest stars in the world weren’t above selling cassette players.
Sylvester Stallone for Japanese Ham
Apparently, the ’80s were a golden age for American celebrities endorsing random products in Japan, and Sylvester Stallone’s partnership with Ito Ham might be one of the strangest. Yes, Rocky himself was the face of a Japanese ham brand, and the commercials were every bit as ridiculous as you’d expect. One ad featured Stallone dramatically slicing into a piece of ham as if he were training for a fight. Another had him looking intensely at the camera while holding a package of deli meat, as if this ham were the most important thing in his life. The level of seriousness he brought to the campaign was both unnecessary and amazing.
The weirdest part? He never actually speaks in the commercials. He just looks intense, flexes his muscles, and occasionally takes a bite of ham. It’s as if the ad agency thought, “People love Rocky, so let’s just have him stare at some meat.” The campaign was wildly successful in Japan, proving once again that American celebrities could sell anything overseas. Looking back, it’s hard not to laugh at the sheer absurdity of it all. If anyone ever told you in the ’80s that Sylvester Stallone would one day become the face of ham, you probably wouldn’t have believed them. And yet, here we are.
O.J. Simpson for Hertz
Before his infamous legal troubles, O.J. Simpson was one of the biggest sports figures of the ’80s, and for some reason, Hertz rental cars made him their spokesperson. But instead of just standing in front of a car and smiling, O.J. was put in a series of commercials that involved him sprinting through airports. The premise was simple: O.J. was always in a hurry, and Hertz was the fastest way to rent a car. The ads showed him hurdling over suitcases, dodging travelers, and racing to the rental counter like he was in the middle of a football game. It was a wild way to advertise something as boring as rental cars.
At the time, the commercials were a huge hit. O.J. was charismatic, athletic, and somehow made renting a car seem exciting. But in retrospect, watching him run at full speed through an airport while security watches feels…different. Given everything that happened in the ’90s, these ads have aged in a way no one could have predicted. It’s one of those endorsements that seemed harmless at the time but now feels like a relic from a very different era. Still, if nothing else, it proved that in the ’80s, you could make even the most mundane products seem action-packed.
Boy George for Corn Flakes
Boy George was known for his bold fashion, his androgynous style, and his catchy pop hits. But for some reason, in the ’80s, he also decided to endorse Corn Flakes. It was a bizarre match from the start—nothing about Boy George screamed “breakfast cereal.” And yet, there he was, holding a spoonful of Corn Flakes with the same enthusiasm he brought to Culture Club. The commercial itself was a strange mix of wholesome and outrageous. He talked about how much he loved a good breakfast, all while decked out in his signature hats and makeup.
It was a classic case of an advertiser trying to appeal to young people in the weirdest way possible. Did teenagers really want Boy George’s breakfast recommendation? Probably not. But the sheer randomness of the endorsement made it memorable. Seeing one of the most flamboyant pop stars of the decade promoting a very basic, old-fashioned cereal is something that could only happen in the ’80s. It’s hard to say if it actually sold more Corn Flakes, but it definitely gave people something to talk about. If nothing else, it proved that Boy George could make literally anything look interesting—even a bowl of cereal.
George Foreman for Meineke
Long before he became the face of the George Foreman Grill, the legendary boxer was endorsing…car mufflers. In the late ’80s, Foreman appeared in commercials for Meineke, a company that specialized in affordable car repairs. The ads featured him standing next to cars, looking serious, and saying, “I’m not gonna pay a lot for this muffler!” It was a strange transition for a man best known for knocking out opponents in the ring. Instead of throwing punches, he was now throwing out discount deals on auto parts.
The funniest part of these commercials was how oddly intense Foreman seemed about car repairs. He delivered every line with the same energy he used in the boxing ring, as if refusing to overpay for a muffler was the fight of his life. It was one of those endorsements that didn’t make much sense at the time but somehow worked. The slogan became oddly catchy, and Meineke saw a boost in business. Of course, Foreman would later become much more famous for selling grills, but his short-lived career as the voice of affordable mufflers remains one of his strangest side gigs.
The California Raisins for Raisins
It’s one thing for a celebrity to endorse a product. It’s another thing entirely for a fictional singing group made out of dried fruit to become one of the biggest ad campaigns of the ’80s. The California Raisins were claymation characters that sang Motown hits, most famously “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.” They were originally created for a raisin commercial, but they became so popular that they got their own albums, toys, and even a TV special. Yes, a group of animated raisins became legitimate pop culture icons.
Looking back, the entire campaign was both brilliant and deeply strange. Who decided that raisins needed a full-fledged marketing campaign in the first place? And why did it work so well? The California Raisins were everywhere for a while, proving that in the ’80s, literally anything could become a sensation. But as quickly as they rose to fame, they disappeared. Kids who grew up in the ’80s probably remember them fondly, but new generations might never understand how a group of singing raisins became such a big deal. It’s one of the most ridiculous yet undeniably successful ad campaigns in history.
Patrick Swayze for Pabst Blue Ribbon
Patrick Swayze was the ultimate heartthrob of the ’80s, known for Dirty Dancing and Road House. But before he was a household name, he starred in a now-infamous commercial for Pabst Blue Ribbon beer. The ad, which aired only briefly, featured a young Swayze looking ridiculously suave while promoting a beer that was anything but glamorous. He wore a tuxedo, leaned against a fancy bar, and delivered his lines with the same smoldering intensity that would later make him a star. The contrast between his polished, sophisticated look and the cheap, working-class beer was unintentionally hilarious.
The funniest thing about this endorsement is that PBR wasn’t even trying to be upscale. It was always known as an affordable, no-frills beer. And yet, here was Patrick Swayze acting like it was the drink of choice for high-class socialites. It’s as if someone at the ad agency thought, “Let’s take the most rugged beer and make it seem elegant.” The result was an ad that felt totally out of place, but in hindsight, it’s pure gold. Watching Swayze deliver dramatic lines about beer while looking like he’s about to waltz into a ballroom is peak ’80s absurdity.
Fabio for I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!
Fabio was the king of romance novel covers, with his flowing hair, chiseled features, and permanently unbuttoned shirts. But somehow, in the late ’80s, he became the face of I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! The commercials featured him dramatically gazing into the camera, speaking in his thick Italian accent, and caressing toast like it was a long-lost love. The entire campaign was centered around the idea that butter substitutes could be sexy—because apparently, what margarine really needed was a touch of romance. Watching Fabio sensually talk about buttery spreads remains one of the strangest ad choices of the decade.
The best part? He fully committed to the role. In one commercial, he reclined on a luxurious couch, passionately describing the taste of I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! like it was a fine wine. In another, he compared spreading it on toast to a deep, meaningful love affair. It was campy, ridiculous, and yet somehow…perfect. The ads were so over-the-top that they became iconic, and Fabio remained the face of the brand for years. It’s proof that in the ’80s, even the most random products could get a dramatic, romance-filled ad campaign—especially if Fabio was involved.