McDonald’s called its fictional advertising world McDonaldland.
The setting appeared in McDonald’s advertising during the early 1970s and provided a shared environment for characters including Ronald McDonald, the Hamburglar, Mayor McCheese, and Grimace. It extended the company’s branding beyond individual commercials by giving the characters a common imaginary location.
McDonaldland functioned as a children’s marketing universe rather than a real place or restaurant chain. Its colorful locations, characters, and stories helped connect television advertising with packaging, promotions, and restaurant experiences.
The name is sometimes confused with Ronald McDonald, who was one character within the setting, or with McDonald’s real-world restaurant network. McDonaldland refers to the fictional world as a whole.