Grimace was originally called Evil Grimace in McDonald’s advertising before the character was softened.
The early version of Grimace was presented as a villainous character who had four arms and stole milkshakes. This portrayal fit the exaggerated conflict-based style of early McDonaldland advertising, where characters often competed over hamburgers, fries, or drinks.
McDonald’s later redesigned Grimace as a friendly, purple character with a simpler appearance and a more cheerful personality. The change made him better suited to children’s advertising and to his role alongside Ronald McDonald and other McDonaldland characters.
People sometimes remember Grimace only as the round purple mascot seen in later campaigns, overlooking his earlier identity. His transformation is an example of McDonald’s adjusting its character branding as the tone of its family marketing evolved.