What was the name of McDonald's 1970s family advertising universe?

McDonaldland was the name of McDonald's 1970s family advertising universe.

The concept placed McDonald's characters in a shared fantasy setting filled with talking food, colorful landscapes, and playful landmarks. It gave the company a way to build continuing stories across television commercials and promotional materials instead of presenting every advertisement as a separate restaurant scene.

The setting supported a broad cast that included Ronald McDonald, the Hamburglar, Grimace, Mayor McCheese, and other figures. Their designs and prominence changed as McDonald's advertising strategy developed, but the common setting remained an important part of the brand's family-oriented identity.

McDonaldland is sometimes mistaken for a restaurant format or a product line. It was primarily an advertising and promotional universe, although its imagery appeared on merchandise, packaging, playgrounds, and other customer-facing materials.