Ronald McDonald was introduced in 1963 by local television personality Willard Scott.
Scott portrayed the character in early Washington, D.C.-area commercials for a McDonald’s restaurant. The advertising used familiar McDonald’s foods as costume elements, including a tray, a cup, and a box of fries.
Ronald quickly became the company’s principal advertising mascot and was redesigned several times. His bright clothing, red hair, and clown identity made him recognizable to children and helped McDonald’s build a family-oriented brand distinct from its earlier Speedee imagery.
Willard Scott later became nationally known as a weather presenter on NBC’s Today. His role as the first Ronald McDonald is sometimes mixed up with later performers, including King Moody and other actors who played the character in subsequent campaigns.