Why has McDonald’s clown mascot Ronald McDonald vanished from NZ and worldwide?

NZ Herald

15 Apr, 2024 11:24 PM2 mins to read

Ronald McDonald at McDonald's in New York, New York, United States. Photo / Getty Images

Ronald McDonald is one of the most iconic characters of all time - but has anyone else noticed that the McDonald’s mascot has disappeared from the fast food scene?

Rocking bright red hair, a white-painted face and a yellow clown costume, the Macca’s mascot quickly became a pop culture icon and was instantly recognisable as the face of the brand.

Now, there are more than 40,000 McDonald’s restaurants across the globe and Ronald was a big part in helping the fast food chain become a world sensation.

Later on, the clown was joined by a slew of other McDonald’s characters such as Grimace, Hamburglar, Birdie the Early Bird, Officer Big Mac, Mayor McCheese and Fry Kids.

Ronald McDonald was often present at various promotional events and new restaurant openings over the years.

However, the fast food franchise decided to phase out the clown as it aimed its marketing at adults rather than children.

Actress Brooke Shields and Ronald McDonald in 1992 at in New York City. Photo / Getty Images

And things got creepy when a trend started to emerge during Halloween in 2016 where people would dress up as clowns and scare people. A plague of unsettling clown appearances spread fear across the US and the world, which effectively ended Ronald McDonald’s career.

The clown scare trend allegedly began in Green Bay, Wisconsin, as a campaign for the short film Gags. However, rumours about nefarious clown incidents soon went viral on social media.

The clown pranks started as practical jokes and were inspired by the release of the horror film It, an adaptation of the best-selling novel by Stephen King.

However, the trend got so out of hand that McDonald’s had to release a statement, which read: “McDonald’s and franchisees in the local markets are mindful of the current climate around clown sightings in communities and as such are being thoughtful in respect to Ronald McDonald’s participation in community events for the time being.”

Chainsaw clown during Halloween in Ponsonby in 2019. Photo / Dean Purcell.

The world’s outlook on clowns turned dark, which ultimately saw Ronald McDonald’s time as mascot come to an end.

But his name continues to live on in a positive light through the Ronald McDonald House Charities, which provide support for families with ill or injured children.