Ronald McDonald was the red-haired clown created for McDonald’s child-focused advertising in the 1960s.
He first appeared in a 1963 television commercial and soon became the company’s best-known character. His bright costume, red hair, and clown identity made him visually distinct from ordinary restaurant staff and connected McDonald’s with play, imagination, and family visits.
Ronald later became the central figure in McDonaldland, where he appeared alongside characters such as Grimace, the Hamburglar, and Mayor McCheese. Those characters were separate personalities, not alternate names for Ronald.
The character’s branding role also explains why Ronald McDonald is often discussed separately from the Golden Arches. The arches identified the company visually, while Ronald supplied a human-like face for its children’s advertising.