Who was McDonald’s clown mascot introduced in the 1960s?

Ronald McDonald was McDonald’s clown mascot introduced in the 1960s.

The character first appeared in a 1963 television commercial for the Washington, D.C., area. Willard Scott, then a local television personality, portrayed the earliest version of Ronald McDonald.

Ronald was designed to make McDonald’s especially appealing to children and families. His costume incorporated recognizable restaurant imagery, including a tray-like hat and a cup-inspired design in the original commercial.

Later versions standardized his appearance and placed him at the center of McDonaldland advertising. Ronald is sometimes described as the company’s first mascot, but that overlooks Speedee, the earlier chef character used in McDonald’s original branding.