Which character became McDonald's first major human mascot in 1963?

Ronald McDonald became McDonald's first major human mascot in 1963.

Ronald was created to appeal especially to children and families, giving McDonald's a friendly on-screen personality rather than relying only on food photography or architectural symbols. The character was presented as a clown associated with the restaurant's name and visual identity.

Television advertising helped Ronald become widely recognized. His image later connected with McDonaldland, a fantasy setting populated by additional characters such as Grimace, the Hamburglar, and Mayor McCheese.

A common mix-up is confusing the character's first television appearances with the later expansion of McDonaldland. Ronald appeared before many of those characters. Another is assuming that he replaced the Golden Arches; in practice, mascot marketing and the arches operated together, with the arches remaining the central corporate symbol.