Social media users shocked by topless Ronald McDonald advert

Twitter users were left shocked after seeing an unusual image of Ronald McDonald.

The Ronald McDonald clown character has been the main mascot of the McDonald’s fast-food restaurant franchise since 1963, when radio personality Willard Scott was invited to perform under the title “Ronald McDonald, the Hamburger-Happy Clown” in three television adverts.

But Scott’s original Ronald McDonald character appeared to have undergone an X-rated rebrand, in images shared on social media of a McDonalds billboard in Japan.

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The billboard depicts a topless Ronald McDonald figure complete with a six pack and tight Y-front style briefs, which had McDonalds fries emerging from them like pubic hair.

Twitter users dubbed the image “Japanese Ronald McDonald”, with many assuming the advert, with its distinctive red and yellow colour scheme, was a legitimate advert for McDonalds in Japan.

Responses ranged from amused to unimpressed, with one person claiming: “I’m haten’ it”, a play on the McDonald’s slogan, “I’m lovin’ it”.

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However, it appears the adverts are not what they seem.

According an article on Medium, the billboard series isn’t actually anything to do with McDonalds, but in actual fact is an advertisement for Yotteba, a popular Japanese food chain with 32 venues across the country.

The Japanese writing is translated in English: “Of course, we serve them in Yotteba’s original container”, according to the article.

Last week, it was revealed McDonald’s in Canada is trialling a new plant-based burger, dubbed a ‘P.L.T.’

The P.L.T. (Plant Lettuce Tomato) burger uses a Beyond Meat burger, served on a sesame seed bun with tomato, lettuce, pickles, onions, mayo-style sauce, ketchup, mustard and a slice of processed cheddar cheese. The burger is currently being trialled in 28 restaurants in the Southwestern Ontario region.