McDonald's began using Ronald McDonald as its advertising mascot in 1963.
The character first appeared in a television commercial in the Washington, D.C., area. Willard Scott, then a local television personality, played the early version of Ronald McDonald. The character was presented as a friendly clown associated directly with the restaurant brand and its child-oriented advertising.
Ronald's appearance changed over time as McDonald's refined its visual identity. Later portrayals established the familiar red-haired clown, yellow jumpsuit, red-and-white striped shirt, and red shoes. The character became the central humanlike face of McDonald's advertising for decades.
Ronald McDonald is sometimes confused with McDonaldland characters such as Grimace or the Hamburglar. Those figures belonged to the broader fictional advertising world, while Ronald was the principal mascot and spokesperson. His 1963 debut also predates the formal McDonaldland campaign associated with the 1970s.