McDonald's introduced Ronald McDonald in its advertising in 1963.
The character first appeared in a television commercial in the Washington, D.C., area. Weather presenter Willard Scott portrayed Ronald in that early advertisement, helping establish the clown as a recognizable McDonald's spokesperson.
Ronald McDonald later became the central figure of McDonaldland, a fictional advertising setting populated by characters such as the Hamburglar, Grimace, and Mayor McCheese. This broader campaign helped McDonald's market its restaurants and products to children and families.
A common mix-up is confusing Ronald McDonald with Speedee, McDonald's earlier mascot. Speedee represented the company's original speedy-service identity, while Ronald was introduced later as part of a character-driven advertising strategy. Ronald's prominence in advertising changed over time, but his 1963 debut remains a key date in McDonald's branding history.