Grimace joined McDonald’s branding as the purple mascot Grimace in 1971.
The character was introduced during the period when McDonald’s advertising featured a larger cast of fictional personalities. Grimace was originally presented as a large, clumsy character associated with milkshakes. His early design was more complicated than the friendly purple figure familiar to later audiences.
McDonald’s simplified Grimace’s appearance and personality over time. The modern character is generally portrayed as cheerful, gentle, and childlike, making him suitable for advertising, restaurant appearances, toys, and other family-oriented promotions.
Grimace is sometimes confused with the Hamburglar or Birdie, two other McDonald’s characters introduced in the same broad era. Those characters had different visual identities and roles. Grimace’s purple color and large rounded shape are his defining branding features.