Which purple McDonald's character was introduced in 1971?

Grimace was the purple McDonald's character introduced in 1971.

The character first appeared in McDonald's advertising during the early McDonaldland period. Grimace was originally presented with four arms and a more mischievous role connected to milkshakes, but the character was soon redesigned into the large, friendly, two-armed purple figure familiar to later audiences.

Grimace's simple appearance made him easy to recognize in television commercials, packaging, restaurant promotions, and licensed merchandise. His design also distinguished him from the other major McDonaldland figures: Ronald McDonald was the central clown mascot, the Hamburglar was a food-stealing trickster, and Mayor McCheese was a civic parody with a cheeseburger head.

Some references date Grimace's best-known form rather than his first advertising appearance. That distinction explains why descriptions of the character can seem inconsistent. The 1971 date refers to his introduction, while later decades brought changes to his shape, personality, and role in McDonald's branding.