McDonald's fictional advertising world created around Ronald McDonald is called McDonaldland.
McDonaldland was a fantasy setting used in McDonald's advertising beginning in the 1970s. It gave the brand a shared story world populated by characters such as the Hamburglar, Grimace, Birdie the Early Bird, and Mayor McCheese.
The setting helped McDonald's turn individual commercials into a recognizable universe. Characters could appear in television spots, promotions, restaurant play areas, and merchandise, giving children a reason to remember the brand beyond its menu items.
McDonaldland characters and designs changed over time, and many were used less prominently as the company's marketing strategy evolved. The name is sometimes mistakenly treated as the name of a restaurant or a real place; it was a fictional advertising setting created for McDonald's branding.