When Ira Antelis co-wrote the “Be Like Mike” jingle for Gatorade in the early 1990s, he didn’t expect it to become one of the most iconic commercial tunes in sports marketing history.
Speaking with NBA insider Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, Antelis said the jingle helped solidify his career during a crucial time, alongside creative partner Steve Shafer.
The origin of the song stemmed from a failed licensing deal between Gatorade and Disney, which had originally offered the rights to “I Wanna Be Like You” from The Jungle Book for $350,000.
When the price tag proved too steep, Gatorade pivoted, giving Antelis and his team just days to write an original jingle.
“We wrote it and the rest is sort of like history because it really took off,” Antelis recalled of the weekend project that would end up immortalizing Michael Jordan.
The lyrics came from agency creative director Bernie Pitzel, while Antelis and Shafer shaped the melody, drawing musical inspiration from Paul Simon’s Graceland and Rhythm of the Saints.
Antelis emphasized that the song had to be catchy and easy to sing, especially with Jordan at the center of the campaign.
The tune quickly became a cultural phenomenon, running repeatedly on television and further boosting Jordan’s already soaring global profile.
Its impact was long-lasting—decades later, the jingle resurfaced in ESPN’s The Last Dance, which revisited Jordan’s dominance with the Bulls and brought the song back into public consciousness.
Despite never meeting Jordan in person, Antelis vividly remembers attending a private screening at the Lakeshore Athletic Club in Chicago, where Jordan acknowledged liking the jingle.
Antelis said the song generated industry buzz almost instantly, with agencies calling to find out who created the commercial’s music.
He recalled that while the fee for the spot wasn’t unusually high, the exposure that followed was more valuable than any check.
In the years that followed, Antelis composed music for other major brands and even wrote a theme song for the Chicago Bulls that was performed at championship rallies.
Even as the jingle’s influence endured, Antelis downplayed its commercial returns, explaining how musicians at the time earned most from residuals and performance fees.
One small personal request did stand out—he asked for a Gatorade vending machine to be installed in his office, a gesture that became a lasting reminder of the deal.
In recent years, the tune has resurfaced in digital marketing, including a modern Gatorade campaign featuring Zion Williamson.
Because Antelis and Shafer retained the rights, they were directly involved in licensing negotiations for renewed use on social platforms.
Antelis sees Jordan as a turning point in athlete branding, saying he paved the way for modern endorsement giants like LeBron James and Steph Curry.
“There was nothing like it before,” Antelis noted, pointing to Jordan’s work with Gatorade, Hanes, and McDonald’s.
