Ronald McDonald first appeared in a 1963 television commercial as McDonald's clown mascot.
The character was created to give McDonald's a distinctive personality for television advertising and to make the restaurant especially appealing to children and families. Early versions of Ronald McDonald used recognizable McDonald's packaging as part of the costume.
Television personality Willard Scott played the first Ronald McDonald in the earliest commercials. The character was later redesigned and became the central figure in McDonaldland advertising alongside characters such as the Hamburglar and Grimace.
Ronald McDonald is distinct from Speedee, the earlier hamburger-headed mascot used during McDonald's first major period of branding. The two characters represent different stages of the company's advertising history.