Ronald McDonald debuted in McDonald’s television advertising in 1963 and became the brand’s best-known mascot. The character was designed as a friendly clown who introduced McDonald’s to children and anchored a growing cast of advertising characters.
The first Ronald McDonald television commercial was made for the Washington, D.C., market. Willard Scott played the original television Ronald, wearing a costume that included a paper-cup nose, a tray hat, and other McDonald’s-themed elements.
McDonald’s later refined Ronald’s appearance and used him in national advertising, restaurant promotions, and the fictional McDonaldland setting. Other characters, including the Hamburglar, Grimace, and Mayor McCheese, were introduced as part of that expanded advertising world.
Ronald McDonald is not the company’s original mascot. Speedee represented the brand before Ronald appeared, and the Golden Arches eventually became the most important corporate symbol. Ronald’s role was especially connected with children’s marketing rather than the core restaurant logo.