Ronald McDonald became McDonald's official mascot after appearing in a 1963 television commercial.
The character was created for a local Washington, D.C., advertising campaign and was initially portrayed by television performer Willard Scott. Ronald's design combined clown imagery with McDonald's branding, including a costume made from restaurant packaging elements.
After the local campaign proved successful, McDonald's expanded Ronald's role nationally. He became the central human character in the company's family-oriented advertising and later appeared with the fictional McDonaldland cast.
Ronald McDonald is distinct from Speedee, the earlier mascot, and from the later burger-headed characters. His name also became closely associated with the Ronald McDonald House Charities organization, although that charity is separate from the advertising history that established him as McDonald's best-known mascot.