Ronald McDonald was the character introduced in McDonald's first national television commercial featuring the clown mascot.
The commercial aired in 1963 and helped establish Ronald as the public face of McDonald's family marketing. The character was played in early advertising by Willard Scott, who had already appeared as a clown on a Washington, D.C., television program. Ronald's costume used McDonald's visual cues, including a red-and-yellow palette and food-related details.
Ronald was developed for children and families, a major audience for the growing restaurant chain. His role expanded beyond individual commercials into appearances, print advertising, merchandise, and later the McDonaldland character universe.
The wording can cause confusion because Ronald was not McDonald's first mascot; Speedee appeared earlier. It is also distinct from the later introduction of other characters such as the Hamburglar and Grimace. Ronald's national television exposure made him the most enduring of the company's early promotional personalities.