McDonald’s introduced its fictional McDonaldland characters in 1971.
McDonaldland was an advertising setting populated by characters connected with the restaurant’s food and visual identity. Ronald McDonald served as the central figure, joined by characters such as Mayor McCheese, Grimace, the Hamburglar, and Captain Crook.
The campaign gave McDonald’s a distinctive fantasy world for television commercials, packaging, playgrounds, and promotional materials. It was designed especially to appeal to children and families, making the brand more than a restaurant chain in its advertising.
The characters changed over time, and some were retired or redesigned. McDonaldland is sometimes dated incorrectly to the era when Ronald McDonald first appeared; Ronald’s television debut came earlier, while the larger shared fictional world was launched in 1971.