Ronald McDonald first appeared in a McDonald’s television advertisement in 1963.
The advertisement was created for the Washington, D.C., market, where McDonald’s sought a recognizable character to appeal to children. Willard Scott, then a local television personality, portrayed the original Ronald McDonald. The character’s design was based partly on familiar fast-food imagery, including a paper cup and food packaging.
Ronald later became a national mascot and was redesigned several times. The familiar version with red hair, yellow clothing, and a red-and-yellow striped shirt developed after the earliest appearance. This date is sometimes confused with the broader launch of the McDonaldland characters, which came later in the 1960s and early 1970s.