Grimace was the McDonald's character redesigned with a slimmer look and purple appearance in the 1970s.
The character's early version was presented differently from the friendly, simple figure familiar to later audiences. McDonald's revised Grimace's design and personality as the company's character branding became more focused on a younger family audience.
The redesigned character was typically shown as a large, purple, nonhuman companion of Ronald McDonald. His simplified appearance made him easy to recognize in television commercials, restaurant imagery, and promotional materials.
Grimace is often mixed up with the Hamburglar or Mayor McCheese because all belonged to McDonald's fictional character world. Their roles and visual designs, however, were distinct.