McDonald’s launched the McDonaldland advertising world in 1971.
McDonaldland presented McDonald’s products and restaurants through a colorful fictional setting populated by recurring characters. The campaign was designed to appeal especially to children and to give the brand a consistent cast of recognizable figures.
The setting became closely associated with Ronald McDonald and other characters, but McDonaldland was a broader advertising universe rather than a single mascot. Different characters appeared in commercials, packaging, playgrounds, and promotional materials over time.
McDonaldland is also linked to a legal dispute with the creators of the television program H.R. Pufnstuf. That dispute concerned similarities between certain characters and settings, but it did not change the documented 1971 launch of the McDonaldland campaign.