McDonald's used the two-word phrase “Golden Arches” in 1960s advertising that told customers to look for the familiar sign.
The Golden Arches began as architectural elements on early McDonald's restaurants, but they gradually became one of the company's most recognizable brand symbols. Advertising encouraged motorists to identify restaurants by the arches from the road.
The phrase became especially memorable through the slogan “Look for the Golden Arches,” which connected the physical restaurant design with a national identity. It helped turn a building feature into a corporate trademark.
The Golden Arches are sometimes mistaken for the modern yellow “M” logo itself. The architectural arches inspired that logo, but the logo and the original building structures were not identical in form or purpose.