Ronald McDonald became McDonald's best-known mascot in the 1960s, and Willard Scott played him in an early commercial.
Scott portrayed the character for the Washington, D.C., market before Ronald McDonald was developed into a national advertising figure. The character's clown design connected McDonald's with children and helped distinguish the restaurant from competing hamburger chains.
Ronald was later placed at the center of McDonaldland, a fantasy setting populated by additional branded characters. His costume and appearance changed over time, but the red-and-yellow color scheme remained closely associated with McDonald's visual identity.
A common mix-up is treating Ronald as the company's earliest mascot. McDonald's had already used Speedee in its early identity before Ronald's rise. Ronald's importance was his long-running role as the public face of the brand, especially in children's marketing.