McDonaldland was the name of McDonald’s 1970s advertising campaign built around fictional characters.
McDonaldland was introduced as a fantasy setting for McDonald’s advertising in 1971. It featured characters such as Ronald McDonald, Grimace, the Hamburglar, Mayor McCheese, and Birdie the Early Bird. The setting gave the company a connected cast and a recognizable world for television commercials, packaging, and promotions.
The name can be confused with the separate McDonaldland characters themselves. McDonaldland refers to the fictional world and advertising concept, while Ronald McDonald and the other figures are individual characters within or associated with it.
The campaign helped McDonald’s appeal strongly to children and families. Some characters changed over time, and several were retired or redesigned, but the broader McDonaldland concept remains a major chapter in the company’s branding history.