Which advertising character became McDonald’s first major human mascot in the 1960s?

Ronald McDonald became McDonald’s first major human mascot in the 1960s.

The character was created for television advertising as a clown associated with the restaurant brand. Early portrayals used recognizable McDonald’s products and visual elements, helping children identify the character with the chain. Willard Scott played an early television version of Ronald before the character was refined for national promotion.

Ronald’s rise marked a major change in McDonald’s branding. The company increasingly used personality, color, and children’s entertainment alongside its architectural symbols and food imagery. He later became the central figure in McDonaldland, a fictional advertising setting populated by additional characters.

The character is sometimes confused with McDonald’s earlier mascot, Speedee. Speedee represented fast service and predates Ronald, whereas Ronald was designed specifically as a highly visible television and family-marketing personality.