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"Pepsi Bottlers Convention"

Date of images 002-003 of flight back home confirmed in Getty Images

Two weeks later, just as "Rolling Stone" hit the newsstands with a cover story that suggested that the Jacksons were not getting along with either business relations or family, the whole Jackson clan was back in New York family-style for a Pepsi convention. Pepsi had a gala black tie presentation at Lincoln Center, part of which highlighted the unveiling of the two commercials featuring the Jacksons.

The family arrived in New York Saturday evening and checked into the Helmsley Palace again. Shortly after, Michael visited another trendy club, Club A, before heading to the Waldorf-Astoria hotel, where Pepsi was having a banquet.

The next day [(February 25, 1984)], the Jacksons left their hotel at 8 p.m. and headed for Lincoln Center. At the conclusion of the presentation, the Jacksons made a brief appearance to a standing ovation, and headed back to the hotel.

Spokespersons for Pepsi told "Rock & Soul" that the two Jacksons commercials cost $2 million to make, the largest sum ever spent on 30-second spots. The Jacksons were paid $5 million for their participation. Pepsi has also paid the expenses for the current promotional tours and is the sole sponsor for the 1984 concert tour. Pepsi's total financial commitment to The Jacksons has not been added up yet, but the figure should exceed $10 million. Meanwhile, people in the know are buzzing. We're all well aware of Michael's self-imposed health food diet. Does he actually drink this stuff?

"We can only say for sure that if Michael drinks any carbonated soft drink at all, it's a Pepsi", said a Pepsi spokesperson. "Every two weeks, we’re sending two truckloads of Pepsi, not only to Michael’s house, but to each of the Jackson's homes, so somebody must be drinking it!"

After the presentation, about twenty fans gathered by the garage door of Lincoln Center, waiting for a glimpse of their idols. A police captain told the fans that since the turnout was small, he would bring police barricades out by the driveway instead of keeping the fans another forty feet back as was originally intended. He said he would only do this if the fans could contain themselves and not get too wild. The fans agreed. One of the fans reminded the others not to scream when they see The Jacksons, as this would frighten the brothers into keeping a distance.

The fans lined up along the barricades. The Jacksons got into the limo, and seeing the fans so orderly, pulled the car right up to the barricades and opened the windows, including the hatch on the roof. The car stopped right up to the barricades and opened the windows, including the hatch on the roof. The car stopped right in front of the barricades, and Randy and Michael stood up inside the car through the hatch. The fans asked them a few questions and took photographs. Randy and Michael got back into the car as it started driving off.

The police assumed this was all the fans wanted to see. As the fans walked past the backstage door on their way out of the garage. LaToya, Janet, and their parents came out of the backstage door. They posed for photos before they not got into a limo with concert promoter Don King.

“Right On” magazine (June 1984)

The Pepsi-Cola Company proudly unveiled their hot new commercials during a black tie affair at Lincoln Center in New York. The soft drink company flew all of the Jacksons and the wives into New York for that evening. They Were joined by their mother and father and sisters, Janet, Latoya, and Rebbie. Don King, the man who brought the Jacksons and Pepsi together, was also on hand. It was a long awaited event. Never before in the history of television has so much attention been given to a sixty second commercial.

“This campaign sets a new standard in soft drink advertising”, said Roger Enrico, president and chief executive officer of Pepsi-Cola USA. “It’s timely, it's imaginative, and it says that Pepsi represents today and tomorrow." Alan Pottasch, senior vice president of creative services, said that, “The Jacksons commercials are a cornerstone of this new approach. We think they'll be among the best ads seen this year."

..."The work that went into these commercials is phenomenal", Alan Pottasch, senior vice president of creative services for Pepsi-Cola. "Especially when you consider the time pressures we were under."

...Overall, more than 175 crew people, countless Pepsi-Cola and BBDO staffers, and 812 paid extras worked on the ads.

"Making spots like these requires patience and endurance", said Pottasch. "The camaraderie on the set was great. It had to be. And I think the results speak for themselves."

Chris Cadman, author, “Michael Jackson the Maestro”

Launch attended by 1,600 people; the program for the evening came with a 7” promo of Michael’s re-working of ‘Billie Jean,’ for the advertising campaign.