Grimace was the purple McDonald’s character who first appeared in McDonaldland advertising in 1971.
The character became one of the most recognizable figures in McDonald’s fictional advertising world. Grimace was originally portrayed with a more unusual appearance and a role connected with stealing or collecting milkshakes, but the character was later redesigned into the friendly, simple purple figure widely recognized today.
Grimace belonged to a larger cast that included Ronald McDonald, Mayor McCheese, Birdie, and the Hamburglar. These characters helped McDonald’s create a recurring fantasy setting for children rather than relying only on product-focused commercials.
People sometimes confuse Grimace’s introduction with the debut dates of other McDonaldland characters, because many were promoted during the same broad period. The 1971 date identifies Grimace’s arrival in the advertising cast, while later redesigns changed the character’s appearance and personality without changing the name.