McDonald’s introduced Grimace in 1971 as an oversized purple mascot.
Grimace originally appeared as a somewhat different character associated with stolen milkshakes, but McDonald’s later reshaped him into a friendly, child-oriented figure. His simple design and limited facial features made him easy to recognize in advertising, packaging, and restaurant promotions.
Grimace became part of the McDonaldland cast alongside Ronald McDonald, the Hamburglar, and other branded characters. Although the character’s role and personality evolved, the purple body and large, rounded shape remained central to his identity.
Grimace is not the same character as Mayor McCheese, who represented McDonaldland’s mayoral theme, or Speedee, the earlier chef mascot. His introduction belongs to the expansion of McDonald’s character branding in the early 1970s.