McDonald’s introduced McDonaldland in 1971 as the fantasy world for its branded characters and advertising.
The setting gave McDonald’s a shared story world populated by figures such as Mayor McCheese, Grimace, Captain Crook, and the Hamburglar. Ronald McDonald served as the central guide between the restaurant brand and the fictional community.
McDonaldland advertisements commonly placed the characters in colorful locations built around food imagery, including hamburger-themed scenery. The campaign was designed to appeal especially to children and to make McDonald’s more recognizable beyond its restaurant signs.
McDonaldland is sometimes confused with the name of an individual mascot. It is the name of the fictional setting, while the characters belong to its cast. The campaign became one of the most recognizable examples of branded children’s advertising in the United States.