McDonald’s Is Done Lovin’ It
March 31, 2016
The iconic phrase “I’m Lovin’ It” has been McDonald’s trademark slogan for the past 13 years and, for many of us, is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of the golden arches. After this legacy of lovin’ it, McDonald’s is changing their slogan to “The Simpler the Better.
You may have noticed McDonald’s going through a number of changes recently, like the new all-day breakfast menu, which has given them a huge boost in sales. After taking over in 2014, CEO Steve Easterbrook has been working towards his goal of making McDonald’s a more “modern, progressive company,” and this slogan change could be part of his plan. Fortune says the new slogan would echo the chain’s recent efforts to streamline its menu to hasten service.
“I’m Lovin’ It” has been McDonald’s slogan since 2003. Before that, the slogan was “We Love To See You Smile,” which lasted for 10 years. About 30 years ago, the slogan was “Mac Tonight,” and ads featured a singing moon with sunglasses on. No joke. And the best one yet: in the early 1960s, it was “Real Good, and Still Only 15 Cents.” Oh, 1960s McDonald’s. If only you could see where the prices are now.
Oindrila Das, a sophomore in the Liberal Studies program, is skeptical of this change because of how recognizable McDonald’s old slogan was.
“I don’t think this is a good idea because ‘I’m Lovin’ It’ has become so heavily affiliated with their brand,” Das said. “I also don’t associate McDonald’s ingredients with being necessarily simple.”
Either way, “The Simpler the Better” is an interesting choice, considering their ranch sauce alone contains 42 ingredients. McDonald’s ingredients aren’t exactly ones we would associate with simplicity, so we came up with a few slogans that might be more fitting:
“McDonald’s: Just Don’t Look Up The Calories”
“Food Without An Expiration Date!”
“McDonald’s: When You’re Here, You’re Family”
Oh wait, that last one is Olive Garden.
According to BurgerBusiness.com, McDonald’s submitted an application to trademark the new slogan earlier this month. However, this may just be standard procedure. A representative for the company said, “We routinely file intent-to-use trademark applications as part of our regular course of business. We can’t share details at this time as to how this trademark may or may not be used.”
The funny thing is, with all this McDonald’s talk, now I’m craving an Egg McMuffin. You win, McDonald’s.
Email Monica Hanna at [email protected].