Grimace is the McDonald's character depicted as a purple, friendly creature in the brand's advertising history.
Grimace first appeared in 1971 under a more complicated early concept before McDonald's advertising gradually reshaped the character into the large, simple, friendly figure recognized by later audiences. His design became less threatening and more suitable for family-oriented marketing.
The character joined a growing cast that included Ronald McDonald, the Hamburglar, Mayor McCheese, and Birdie the Early Bird. This group helped McDonald's create a fictional setting around its restaurants and make advertising more recognizable to children.
Grimace is sometimes misidentified as a person, animal, or milkshake. McDonald's has used playful and changing descriptions over the years, but the stable branding fact is his distinctive purple appearance and friendly role in the McDonaldland cast.