The McDonald's Slogan You Probably Forgot About
A catchy slogan can really help put a business at the forefront of everyone's minds. Effective catchphrases are quick and straight to the point, delivered with powerful, precise wording so as to grab the audience and make the business memorable in a matter of seconds. When it comes to restaurant slogans, we're sure there are a few that are living rent-free in the back of your mind, ready to pop out at any moment. From Subway's "Eat Fresh" to KFC's famous "It's finger lickin' good," there are some quick sayings that are so catchy, they may just stick with you forever.
Over the decades, McDonald's has put out its fair share of slogans into the greater pop culture, with some hitting harder than others. In 2004, the chain spent upwards of $1.37 billion on its "I'm Lovin' It," campaign. As popular as this slogan continues to be for the fast food giant, others didn't have such strong staying power, such as the commercial featuring the catchphrase "You deserve a break today," which debuted back in 1971. The ad was chock-full of dancing employees singing the praises of fast food and the importance of a clean environment. Let's take a look at this popular commercial blitz, and why it may have escaped your attention.
The slogan ran for years - what happened?
McDonald's had a hit with the "You deserve a break today" campaign. The campaign, which began in 1971, took the form of a string of commercials that tried to frame fast food as a treat instead of merely a way to quickly get a meal during a hectic day. The slogan was also paramount to establishing McDonald's not only nationwide but also around the world, as the chain was were expanding to include locations in Japan, Australia, and Canada, according to The History of Television Commercials. Even though the slogan stuck with the golden arches brand until the mid-nineties — with the saying briefly being changed to "Have you had your break today?"— nowadays you might be hard-pressed to find someone who can remember it.
Because the company has since moved on from the long-running advertisement without so much as a nostalgic throwback, you can be forgiven for forgetting the once-popular slogan. But don't worry, there have been quite a few other uneventful slogans such as 1975's "We do it all for you," 1995's "Did somebody say McDonald's?" and of course 2008's "What we're made of." It seems like there's a reason "I'm Lovin' It" has stuck around.