McDonald's introduced Ronald McDonald as its primary mascot in 1963. The character was created to give the growing restaurant chain a child-friendly personality and a memorable presence in television advertising.
The original Ronald was portrayed by Willard Scott, who had already played a clown character called Bozo the Clown on television. McDonald's adapted the clown image into a restaurant mascot, with a costume featuring the company's colors and food-related details. The character was later redesigned and portrayed by other performers.
Ronald's arrival changed McDonald's branding from the earlier Speedee mascot toward a larger fictional world aimed at children and families. Characters such as the Hamburglar, Grimace, and Mayor McCheese joined the McDonaldland cast during the following decade.
Ronald McDonald is sometimes dated to 1962 because McDonald's television promotions and character development began around that period. The commonly cited introduction year, however, is 1963, when the mascot entered the company's public advertising identity.