Which McDonald’s character first appeared in advertising in 1963 as a clown spokesman?

Ronald McDonald first appeared in McDonald’s advertising in 1963 as the chain’s clown spokesman.

The character was created to appeal especially to children and became the central figure in McDonald’s expanding fictional world. Early television advertisements presented Ronald as a friendly guide to the restaurant and its food.

Willard Scott portrayed the earliest television version of Ronald McDonald. The character’s appearance changed over time, but the red hair, clown makeup, yellow clothing, and red-and-white visual palette became closely associated with McDonald’s branding.

Ronald is often confused with later characters such as the Hamburglar, Grimace, and Mayor McCheese. Those figures joined the McDonaldland cast later; Ronald was the principal clown spokesman introduced in 1963.