Grimace was McDonald’s purple, blob-like character in the 1970s.
Grimace debuted in 1971 as a character associated with McDonaldland advertising. His original design was more menacing and included four arms, with the character depicted as a milkshake thief. McDonald’s soon changed him into the large, friendly, purple figure most audiences recognize today.
The simplified version became a companion to Ronald McDonald and other McDonaldland characters. Unlike characters defined by a specific job or object, Grimace’s design was intentionally unusual and visually simple, making him easy to recognize in television commercials, restaurant displays, and merchandise.
Grimace is often confused with the Hamburglar because both were introduced as McDonaldland characters and both appeared in early advertisements. The Hamburglar was a small, black-and-white-clad character who stole hamburgers; Grimace was the purple character whose identity changed significantly after his initial introduction.