McDonaldland was the fictional world used for McDonald's characters such as Grimace and the Hamburglar.
The company introduced McDonaldland in television advertising in 1971. Its colorful setting gave McDonald's a recurring story world in which children could encounter branded characters, including Ronald McDonald, Mayor McCheese, Birdie the Early Bird, Grimace, and the Hamburglar. The approach turned individual advertisements into a connected fantasy setting.
McDonaldland was not simply another name for the restaurant chain. It was a promotional universe built around McDonald's food and family marketing. The campaign later faced legal complications because the character concepts resembled those from the children's television program H.R. Pufnstuf; McDonald's and Sid and Marty Krofft ultimately settled the dispute. Many characters were reduced or retired as the company's advertising strategy changed.