Grimace first appeared in McDonaldland advertising in 1971.
The character was originally presented as a villainous figure with multiple arms who stole milkshakes. McDonald’s later changed Grimace into the large, friendly purple character best known to the public. That redesign made him more suitable for family-oriented advertising and appearances with Ronald McDonald.
Grimace became one of the most recognizable McDonaldland characters, although his exact species was never clearly defined in the brand’s classic advertising. This is why descriptions often simply call him a purple character rather than assigning him a precise animal identity.
Grimace is sometimes mistaken for a later mascot because his modern appearance became more familiar than his original version. The important branding milestone is his 1971 introduction and the subsequent shift from a milkshake-stealing antagonist to a friendly companion.