Grimace originally appeared as a four-armed milkshake thief in McDonald's advertising.
When the character debuted in the early 1970s, Grimace was portrayed differently from the friendly purple figure familiar to later generations. His original design had four arms, and his role was to take milkshakes, creating a mischievous threat within the McDonaldland advertising world.
McDonald's later changed the character into a large, purple, gentle companion. The redesign removed the extra arms and softened his personality, making Grimace more suitable as a friendly character alongside Ronald McDonald and other brand figures.
The character's original purpose is frequently forgotten because the later version became much more prominent. Grimace was not initially defined by a detailed species or a complicated backstory; his early branding function was simple and product-related, linking him directly to milkshakes.