Which McDonald's character was created as the company's clown mascot in 1963?

Ronald McDonald was created as McDonald's clown mascot in 1963. He became the most prominent face of the company's family-oriented branding for decades.

The character first appeared in a television commercial in the Washington, D.C., area. Willard Scott played the original Ronald McDonald, using a costume assembled from recognizable McDonald's items, including a cup and a tray. The character's design later became more standardized as the company used Ronald in national advertising, restaurant appearances, and promotional material.

Ronald is often confused with the earlier Speedee mascot, who represented the restaurant's speed-focused identity, or with McDonaldland figures such as the Hamburglar. Ronald belonged to a later phase of branding that emphasized children, imagination, and family entertainment. McDonald's reduced the character's public advertising presence in many markets, but Ronald remains historically important to the company's brand identity.