McDonald’s purple character introduced in 1971 as an early villain was Grimace.
Grimace began as a much different character from the friendly purple figure familiar to later generations. His original advertising identity was a villainous character with four arms who was associated with stealing milkshakes. McDonald’s later simplified his design and changed his personality.
After the redesign, Grimace became a large, good-natured companion in McDonaldland advertising. His unusual shape, purple color and limited facial features made him visually distinctive, while his friendlier role made him better suited to family-oriented campaigns.
The character is often confused with the Hamburglar because both appeared in the same fictional advertising universe. Their roles were different: the Hamburglar was associated with stealing burgers, while early Grimace advertising focused on milkshakes. The character’s transformation illustrates how McDonald’s adjusted its branding for children and families.