Which three-word slogan became McDonald's global advertising tagline in 2003?

“I’m Lovin’ It” became McDonald’s global advertising tagline in 2003.

The campaign was launched internationally in September 2003 and used the “ba da ba ba ba” musical hook alongside the phrase. McDonald’s adopted the slogan as a unified global platform, although individual markets could adapt executions and advertising materials to local languages and audiences.

The campaign is strongly associated with the American singer Justin Timberlake, whose recording appeared in the launch advertising. The music was written by Pharrell Williams and produced by The Neptunes for the campaign’s launch materials. The slogan’s informal contraction and first-person voice made it easy to translate into a recognizable international brand message.

A common error is placing the slogan in the 1970s, when McDonald’s instead used “You Deserve a Break Today.” “I’m Lovin’ It” is also a tagline, not the name of a McDonald’s menu item or a description of the company’s founding system.