McDonaldland was the fictional advertising world McDonald’s used for its characters beginning in the early 1970s.
The setting gave McDonald’s a shared story world in which Ronald McDonald, the Hamburglar, Grimace, Mayor McCheese, and other characters could appear together. This approach made separate mascots feel like parts of one recognizable brand universe.
McDonaldland was especially prominent in television commercials and other child-oriented promotions. Its characters often interacted in colorful, fantastical locations while reinforcing McDonald’s menu items and restaurant experience.
The name is sometimes confused with the characters themselves. Ronald McDonald is one character in the setting, while McDonaldland is the fictional world that contains the wider cast. The campaign’s prominence later declined, although several characters remained familiar parts of McDonald’s branding history.