Grimace was the purple, blob-shaped McDonald’s visual mascot introduced in 1971.
Grimace began as a McDonaldland character and became one of the most recognizable figures in McDonald’s family advertising. The character’s early concept was different from the friendly, simple personality most audiences later knew, but the design and role were revised over time.
Grimace is often confused with other McDonaldland characters because the advertising world contained a large cast. Birdie was a yellow bird associated with breakfast, the Hamburglar was a striped-clothing hamburger thief, and Mayor McCheese had a cheeseburger-shaped head.
The character’s purple color and rounded body made Grimace visually distinct on signs, packaging, commercials, and promotional material. Although McDonald’s later reduced its use of many mascots, Grimace remained a durable part of the company’s branding history.