McDonald's introduced Ronald McDonald as its official mascot in 1963.
The character was created for television advertising aimed at children. Early advertisements presented Ronald as a clown associated with McDonald's restaurants, helping the company build a memorable personality around its name and products.
Television personality Willard Scott played the first Ronald McDonald in a series of early commercials. The character's appearance later changed substantially, including his clothing, makeup, and overall design, as McDonald's developed a larger fictional world for its advertising.
Ronald's arrival came after Speedee, the chain's original mascot. The two characters therefore belong to different stages of McDonald's branding: Speedee represented rapid service, while Ronald became a family-oriented promotional figure. The 1963 date is commonly confused with later introductions of other McDonaldland characters, including the Hamburglar and Grimace.