What name did McDonald's use for its 1970s child-focused advertising universe?

McDonald's used the name McDonaldland for its 1970s child-focused advertising universe.

McDonaldland was a fictional setting populated by McDonald's characters and built around imaginative versions of restaurant products and ideas. Ronald McDonald served as its central figure, while Mayor McCheese, Grimace, the Hamburglar, and other characters filled distinct roles within the world.

The setting gave McDonald's a way to connect separate commercials into a continuing story environment. Children could recognize recurring characters, locations, and visual motifs even when an advertisement focused on a different menu item or promotion.

McDonaldland is sometimes confused with the name of a specific restaurant program or playground. It was primarily an advertising and merchandising universe. Its characters appeared in commercials, packaging, promotions, and restaurant materials, making it a major part of McDonald's family branding during the 1970s and afterward.