The McDonald's 'I'm Lovin' It' jingle was created as a catchy five-note melody combined with the slogan to revitalize the brand and became one of the most successful marketing campaigns of all time.
The 'I'm Lovin' It' jingle was a collaborative effort involving music producers, ad agencies, and artists like Justin Timberlake, resulting in a four-minute pop song that gained popularity even before the ad campaign launched.
Deep dives
The Power of Catchy Jingles for McDonald's
Over the years, McDonald's has understood the importance of catchy jingles in their commercials. From their early commercials featuring Ronald McDonald to unique jingles created for different countries, catchy music has been a key marketing tool for McDonald's. They even had promotions where people had to recite jingles to win free food. However, by the early 2000s, McDonald's was facing financial troubles and needed a game-changing idea. They launched an idea competition and the winning idea was to combine the phrase 'I'm loving it' with a catchy five-note melody. This new jingle was intended to be a standalone hip hop single performed by Justin Timberlake to create positive associations before being used in commercials.
Developing the Iconic 'Ba da ba ba ba' Melody
Tom Batoy and Franco Tortera from the music production company Mona Davis were tasked with bringing the 'I'm loving it' slogan to life. After weeks of brainstorming and experimenting, they stumbled upon the iconic 'Ba da ba ba ba' melody late at night. Despite their exhaustion and weariness from hearing the melody repeatedly, they knew it was a winner. They pitched the melody to McDonald's and convinced them it could work in every country and musical style. The melody was tested and approved, leading to a partnership with Justin Timberlake and the creation of a four-minute pop song. The song gained popularity even before the ad campaign launched, solidifying the success of the iconic melody.
The Global Impact and Enduring Success of the Jingle
The 'I'm loving it' campaign, accompanied by the memorable melody, was a massive undertaking that involved collaboration with ad agencies, musicians, and marketing teams from around the world. The jingle was incorporated into commercials featuring Justin Timberlake and various international adaptations. The campaign was a tremendous success and helped McDonald's revitalize their brand and image. It became one of the most successful marketing campaigns of all time, earning multi-billion dollar status for McDonald's. Even today, the jingle continues to be a recognizable and effective marketing tool, with its iconic melody becoming synonymous with the McDonald's brand.
Since its introduction in 2003, the McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It” jingle has become one of the most recognizable melodies in the world. This is the story of how a catchy five-note jingle conquered the planet, from its humble beginnings at a German ad agency, to being sung by globally famous pop stars. Featuring interviews with "I'm Lovin' It" composers Tom Batoy and Franco Tortora of Mona Davis Beat.
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