McDonald’s first launched its “I’m Lovin’ It” campaign in Munich in 2003.
The campaign began in Germany before becoming a global McDonald’s branding platform. Its title used a deliberately informal, youthful expression that could work across markets, while the accompanying music and visual identity were adapted for international advertising.
The phrase became McDonald’s first global advertising slogan and replaced different slogans that had previously been used in individual countries. That global rollout is why the campaign is often remembered as a major shift toward a more unified international brand voice.
People sometimes assume the campaign began in the United States because McDonald’s is an American company. Its first launch, however, took place in Munich, and the campaign was then expanded worldwide.