McDonald's called its fictional advertising world of characters McDonaldland.
McDonaldland appeared in McDonald's advertising during the early 1970s. It presented Ronald McDonald alongside characters such as Mayor McCheese, Grimace, the Hamburglar, and Birdie the Early Bird. The setting gave the company a connected cast and a recurring story world rather than relying only on individual product advertisements.
The campaign helped McDonald's build a distinctive family-oriented identity. Characters were used in television commercials, restaurant displays, playground themes, merchandise, and promotional materials. Their designs also gave children recognizable figures to associate with specific menu items and restaurant experiences.
McDonaldland is sometimes confused with the names of individual characters or with later restaurant play areas. The term refers to the broader fictional setting and campaign. Several characters changed appearance over time, and some were retired, but the McDonaldland concept remains an important example of character-based fast-food branding.