Ronald McDonald was McDonald’s main clown mascot in early television advertising.
Ronald was introduced in 1963 as a colorful character designed to connect McDonald’s with children and family entertainment. His costume used the restaurant’s familiar red and yellow color scheme, making him visually identifiable even in brief television appearances.
Willard Scott portrayed Ronald in the earliest commercials, helping establish the character before McDonald’s expanded the fictional McDonaldland setting. Ronald subsequently appeared in advertisements, public events, merchandise, and charitable activities associated with the company.
The character is sometimes grouped with McDonaldland figures such as the Hamburglar, Grimace, and Birdie, but Ronald occupied a different role. He was the principal human-like mascot and the public face of the brand’s children’s marketing for many years.