McDonaldland was the name of McDonald’s 1970s advertising universe featuring characters such as Mayor McCheese and Grimace.
The campaign presented McDonald’s as a colorful fictional setting populated by characters connected to menu items and restaurant imagery. Ronald McDonald served as its central figure, while Mayor McCheese, Grimace, the Hamburglar, and others appeared in commercials, packaging, and promotional materials.
McDonaldland helped McDonald’s communicate with children and families through recurring stories rather than through isolated product advertisements. Its visual language also made the restaurant brand recognizable beyond the Golden Arches alone.
The campaign’s characters changed over the years, and some were retired or redesigned. McDonaldland is therefore broader than any single character or commercial series; it refers to the fictional world itself.