The Big Mac became the title of McDonald’s 1968 advertising campaign and menu launch.
McDonald’s introduced the sandwich nationally in 1968 after it had been developed and tested by franchisee Jim Delligatti in the Pittsburgh area. Its two beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, and sesame-seed bun gave the product a distinctive identity that advertising could build around.
The Big Mac name became one of McDonald’s most recognizable branded product names. It also produced related brand elements, including the “Big Mac Index,” an informal economic comparison created by The Economist in 1986.
The sandwich is sometimes incorrectly described as the company’s first signature burger. The Quarter Pounder and other products had separate histories, while the Big Mac’s importance came from its distinctive construction and unusually strong global brand recognition.