Did Pharrell Williams Really Write The McDonald's Jingle?

Interestingly, Piece By Piecehas credited Pharell Williams with the creation of the McDonald’s jingle. McDonald’s iconic “I’m Lovin’ It” jingle launched with a global campaign in 2003, and was the company’s first attempt at marketing the same message internationally. “I’m Lovin’ It” is McDonald’s longest-running campaign to date, but the jingle wouldn’t have reached its two-decade marker without certain musical powerhouses working behind the scenes.

The jingle has certainly left its mark on pop culture, with the five notes alone being synonymous with the fast food franchise. McDonald’s cultural rebound was guided by their ability to merge advertising with entertainment, notably by having their “I’m Lovin’ It” jingle released as a Justin Timberlake single before launching their campaign. Their marketing strategy clearly worked, but the creative credit for the tune has since been largely contested, with Piece by Piece’s Pharell Williams story reviving the subject.

Pharrell Williams’ Role In Creating McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It” Jingle Explained

He Was In A Musical Duo Called The Neptunes

Timberlake isn’t the only musician associated with the jingle, as Williams had a hand in it as well. In 2003, Pharrell Williams was in a musical duo with Chad Hugo, called The Neptunes. The two already had critical recognition at the time, but went on to win several Billboard R&B and Grammy Awards.

The Neptunes came onto the McDonald’s jingle project for production, and their recognizable style played a large hand in ensuring that the Timberlake single didn’t release to the masses sounding like a corporate advert. Timberlake and The Neptunes’ cultural relevance gave credibility to the single, strengthening the song’s ability to “reverse” advertise.

And The Neptunes’ contributions to the song perfectly blend pop with commerce, and marked a shift in celebrity-brand partnerships. So, while Pharrell Williams’ role in the creation of “I’m Lovin’ It” wasn’t specifically in the writing, Williams and Hugo’s production knowledge was a pivotal step in making the iconic five-note jingle McDonald’s has today.

The Credit For McDonald’s Jingle Doesn’t Solely Belong To Pharrell Williams

The Creators Are Actually From Germany

The creators of the McDonald’s jingle actually originated from Germany. The ad agency, Heye & Partner, though connected to a larger company, was the “tiny” shop that won McDonald’s international marketing competition with their idea of the “I’m Lovin’ It” jingle presented in German; “iche leibe es.” Heye & Partner worked with German music house Mona Davis Music when creating the initial melody.

Tom Batoy, Mona Davis president, revealed that his inspiration for the notes struck when overhearing a backup vocalist singing in a studio and realizing the effect of the tune’s memorability. American rapper, Pusha T, was featured in some of the campaign’s original ads, and later faced controversy for claiming to have co-written the jingle, which differs, of course, from what Piece by Piece has asserted about Pharell Williams.

The speculation started after record executive, Steve Stout, referenced Pusha T as the creator of the jingle in an interview with radio channel, Hot 97. However, McDonald’s and Mona Davis have both publicly denied that Pusha T was involved in the creation of “I’m Lovin’ It.” Whether Pusha T considers himself the literal creator of the jingle or the person who helped it rise to its place in pop culture is unclear.

Source: Pitchfork

Piece by Piece is an animated musical biography film directed by  Morgan Neville. The film explores the life and career of musician and performer Pharrell Williams, who, through LEGOS, shows the evolution of his creative process throughout his life.

Director

Morgan Neville

Release Date

October 11, 2024

Runtime

94 Minutes