Willard Scott created the early advertising character Donald McDonald before the character became Ronald McDonald.
Scott portrayed Donald McDonald in early Washington, D.C.-area McDonald’s television advertising during the 1960s. The character was designed as a clown associated with the restaurant, using familiar McDonald’s food imagery in his costume and props.
McDonald’s later refined the character’s appearance and changed his name to Ronald McDonald. The revised character became the company’s principal advertising mascot and was eventually placed at the center of the broader McDonaldland cast.
This history is often simplified by treating Ronald McDonald as having appeared fully formed from the beginning. The earlier Donald McDonald version is a distinct stage in the character’s branding development, while Scott is also widely known for his later television career.