Michael Jackson’s Pepsi Commercial Jacket Just Sold for a Huge Sum

The black and jacket worn by the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, in a 1984 Pepsi commercial, sold for between £200,000 and £400,000 at a recent auction in London by Propstore. It’s the same jacket the “Thriller” singer wore during the commercial when his hair caught fire. The commercial was part of a $5 million endorsement deal that he and his four brothers signed in 1983. During the sixth take for the 1984 commercial, he was too close to a pyrotechnics display of fireworks, which had gone off earlier than expected. He was set ablaze by the fireworks and suffered second-degree burns to his scalp while losing some of his hair in the process. His jacket also caught on fire. 

Jackson’s brothers from The Jackson Five helped to extinguish the flames while the injured singer was seen by his fans with his scalp on fire and smoke billowing from his head. After the ordeal, Jackson had his head bandaged but smiled through the pain during photographs while he rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. 

Due to the damage Jackson suffered on his scalp from the burns, he reportedly was prolonged which led to his prescription pill addiction. His hair never grew back fully, leading the singer to wear wigs. Jackson also suffered from vitiligo, which altered the complexion of his skin. He denied skin bleaching, and extensive plastic surgery rumors, despite his appearance and features looking vastly different, specifically his nose.

It didn’t stop him from working with Pepsi again. In 1986, The LA Times reported he signed a deal worth $50 million, with an initial up-front payment to the singer of between $10 million and $15 million. Jackson’s deal with Pepsi was a marketing genius. Other notable celebs, including Beyonce, would later have major deals with the soda company.