What mascot did McDonald’s introduce in 1963 to personify its brand for children?

McDonald’s introduced Ronald McDonald in 1963 to personify its brand for children.

The character first appeared in a television commercial for the Washington, D.C., area, where he was portrayed by local performer Willard Scott. Scott had already become known for playing Bozo the Clown, and the early Ronald design drew on that familiar clown persona.

Ronald’s costume used the brand’s visual language: red and yellow clothing, a striped shirt, and a hamburger-shaped hat in his early appearances. His name also directly echoed the company name, making the character easy for young audiences to connect with McDonald’s.

Ronald later became the central figure in the McDonaldland advertising world, alongside characters such as Grimace, the Hamburglar, and Mayor McCheese. A common mix-up is assigning the 1963 debut to Grimace or the Hamburglar; Ronald was the original major mascot in this group.