Ronald McDonald became McDonald's first official spokesperson in 1963.
The character was created as a clown associated with the restaurant chain and was initially portrayed in television advertising by Willard Scott. His design used familiar clown imagery while incorporating McDonald's visual cues, including a costume influenced by the restaurant's colors and products.
Ronald McDonald is sometimes confused with the earlier Speedee character, who represented fast service, or with later McDonaldland characters such as the Hamburglar and Grimace. Ronald's role was broader: he became the public face of the brand and the central figure in family-oriented promotions.
His introduction reflected a major shift in McDonald's marketing. The company was no longer presenting only speed, architecture, and menu items; it was building a fictional world intended to make restaurants memorable to children and parents. That strategy made the mascot one of the most recognizable figures in fast-food advertising.