An unearthed 1988 interview has resurfaced showing George Harrison sharply criticising the use of The Beatles' original recording of "Revolution" in a 1987 Nike advert, calling it "a bit of a liberty" and saying "I regret doing it." The advert marked the first time an original master recording of a pop hit had been used in a television commercial, breaking with the previous practice of using re-recorded or altered versions, and it provoked anger within the band's camp despite Yoko Ono having initially approved the licensing deal.

Nike secured the rights via Capitol-EMI Records and ATV Music Publishing rather than through the surviving Beatles, prompting Apple, the band's record label, to sue Nike, its advertising agency and Capitol-EMI. Harrison had voiced similar objections as early as September 1987, warning that Beatles songs could end up soundtracking adverts for anything from cars to pork pies unless the band asserted control over their use. The case was eventually settled out of court in November 1989, though original masters have since become commonplace in advertising.