McDonald's introduced McDonaldland as the fictional world for Ronald McDonald and its characters in 1971.
McDonaldland turned the restaurant brand into a bright fantasy setting populated by characters connected with McDonald's products and imagery. Ronald McDonald served as the principal character, while figures such as Mayor McCheese, Grimace, the Hamburglar, and Birdie appeared in advertisements, packaging, and promotional materials.
The setting gave McDonald's a continuing story world rather than a series of unrelated commercials. Children could recognize the same characters across television advertisements, restaurant displays, toys, and other branded materials. The characters also gave the company a visual way to distinguish its advertising from ordinary restaurant commercials.
McDonaldland is sometimes confused with the later Happy Meal brand, but the two are not the same. Happy Meals launched in 1979, while McDonaldland began in 1971. Some characters changed design over time, and several were retired or used less frequently as McDonald's advertising strategy evolved.