The Very First Ronald McDonald Appearance – Footnotes

Oh. My. Goodness. I’ve never seen the first appearance of Ronald McDonald. Until now, that is. I’m a person that doesn’t particularly like clowns, but I don’t find them as scary as others do. However, this debut of a company mascot (from a 1963 commercial) is HORRIFYING.

What is on the head of Ronald McDonald?

For some reason, Ronald McDonald’s first line in this commercial makes him sound like a guy that smokes at least two packs of cigarettes a day while also coaching a high school football team. He’s just got that gruffness – which is great for motivating young athletes but not the ideal sound of someone selling food.

There’s also the strange case of this clown sporting an entire tray of food entirely on his head. He also seems to be rocking a belt of food, though it’s unclear which accessory has fresher burgers and fries.

Perhaps to hide an oversized clown nose, this ad gives Ronald McDonald a cup to put on his face. I don’t have much experience with cup noses, but I imagine it restricts your view by at least 20 percent.

Solid Dance Moves, Though

At the end of the commercial, Ronald McDonald does a terrific little jig that goes on for maybe three seconds too long. The camera follows suit, remaining rolling while old Ronnie freeze frames in a crouch. The only problem is that the clown stands up before the commercial actually concludes, which makes it seem like that enthusiastic dance was all just for show and not a normal part of Ronald McDonald’s routine. If my commercials aren’t honest, what else is left?

Check out the spot below.

View other Footnotes here.