McDonaldland was the fictional world McDonald's created for advertising characters including Grimace and the Hamburglar.
The campaign presented McDonald's as a colorful fantasy setting populated by characters linked to the restaurant's food and brand identity. Ronald McDonald served as the central human-like figure, while characters such as Grimace, the Hamburglar, Mayor McCheese, and Birdie the Early Bird filled different roles in the stories.
McDonaldland appeared in television commercials, printed promotions, restaurant décor, and merchandise. The setting helped McDonald's create a continuing narrative rather than relying only on isolated product advertisements. Children could recognize the characters and their relationships across multiple campaigns.
McDonaldland is not the same thing as PlayPlace. PlayPlace refers to McDonald's restaurant play areas, whereas McDonaldland was an advertising universe. The name also should not be confused with the restaurant chain itself: it described the fictional setting used to organize the mascots.