McDonald’s called its fictional advertising universe of mascots and food-themed characters McDonaldland.
McDonaldland appeared in McDonald’s advertising beginning in the early 1970s. It presented Ronald McDonald as the central character alongside figures such as the Hamburglar, Mayor McCheese, Grimace, and Birdie. The setting turned menu items and brand symbols into a colorful story world aimed primarily at children.
The characters gave McDonald’s a distinctive way to link television commercials, packaging, restaurant promotions, and toys. Their designs changed over the years, and some characters were used more heavily in certain periods or markets than others.
McDonaldland is sometimes confused with the McDonald’s PlayPlace or with later promotional partnerships. It was specifically the fictional advertising setting and character universe, not a restaurant format or a single campaign slogan.