How Much the 1971 Coca-Cola Ad in ‘Mad Men’ Series Finale Earned

After seven seasons, 15 Emmy wins, four Golden Globe awards and countless theories about Don Draper killing himself, the “Mad Men” series finale on Sunday night ended on a much happier note: with Draper, played by Jon Hamm, on a hilltop meditating and thinking up the idea for the iconic 1970s Coca-Cola ad.

Here’s How Much Money the 1971 Coca-Cola Ad Earned

The vintage Coca-Cola ad, also referred to as “Hilltop,” was called, “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke.” It was shipped to radio stations throughout America on Feb. 12, 1971. According to Vulture, the ad was shot in Italy and cost $250,000 to make, although the original budget was reportedly $100,000.

The tune for the ad became so popular that it was eventually recorded for the pop song, “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing (in Perfect Harmony).” The song became a Top 10 hit and earned more than $80,000 in royalties, much of which was donated to UNICEF.

Bill Backer, McCann Erickson’s creative director for the Coca-Cola account, reportedly said in a 2011 interview about the ad, “It’s generally considered the world’s most popular commercial, and anybody’s proud to be associated with something this popular…”

Related: Net Worths of Jon Hamm, January Jones and Your Other Favorite “Mad Men” Stars

Coca-Cola’s Reaction to ‘Mad Men’ Series Finale

After the “Mad Men” series finale aired, Backer told CNN Money he didn’t know the ad was going to be in the last episode and didn’t watch it. “I don’t care,” he said. Backer also accused the AMC series of being “more of a soap opera.”

“It had become more about the tangled lives of the people and less about the industry they were working in and presenting the ads in ways that was attention-getting, and hopefully uplifting and fun to watch,” he said.

Coca-Cola knew the 1971 ad was going to be used in the episode, but the company wasn’t aware of the details. A spokeswoman for Coca-Cola told AdWeek, “We’ve had limited awareness around the brand’s role in the series’ final episodes.”

Coca-Cola’s reaction to the series finale seems to be positive, though. “‘Mad Men’ is one of the most popular TV shows of all time,” said the spokeswoman, “and ‘Hilltop’ is an iconic piece of Coca-Cola history. The finale gave everyone inside and outside the company — some for the first time — a chance to experience the magic of ‘Hilltop’ within the context of its creation and the times.”

Photo credit: Screengrab from ‘Hilltop” ad.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Much the 1971 Coca-Cola Ad in ‘Mad Men’ Series Finale Earned

This article by Misha Euceph first appeared on GoBankingRates.com and was distributed by the Personal Finance Syndication Network.