Which McDonald’s logo element was removed from the 2006 “Forever Young” redesign?

The McDonald’s wordmark was removed from the 2006 “Forever Young” redesign.

That redesign presented the Golden Arches by themselves, without the familiar McDonald’s name written beneath or beside them. The change relied on the symbol’s global recognition: in many settings, the arches alone were intended to identify the company.

The redesign did not eliminate the Golden Arches, nor did it remove the brand’s signature colors from every application. Instead, it explored a more minimal identity built around the established symbol. The phrase “Forever Young” referred to the branding campaign associated with this simplified presentation.

People sometimes describe the change as a complete replacement of the McDonald’s logo. More precisely, it was a simplified version that omitted the wordmark in selected branding. The company has continued to use versions combining the arches and the name, depending on the medium, market, or design system.