McDonaldland was the fictional advertising setting introduced by McDonald's in 1971.
The campaign placed Ronald McDonald and other characters in a colorful fantasy world designed to appeal especially to children. Characters such as Mayor McCheese, Birdie, Grimace, and the Hamburglar became part of this branded setting.
McDonaldland was not a single television show or a real location. It was an advertising world used across commercials, restaurant materials, playground designs, and promotional merchandise. Its characters helped turn McDonald's visual identity into a larger narrative universe.
The campaign also generated legal disputes with the creators of the children's program “H.R. Pufnstuf,” particularly over similarities involving characters and setting. Even so, McDonaldland remained a major part of McDonald's branding for decades.