McDonaldland

McDonaldland

McDonaldland was a fantasy world used in the marketing for McDonald's restaurants during the 1970s through the 1990s. McDonaldland was inhabited by Ronald McDonald and other characters. In addition to being used in advertising, the characters also appeared in various children's merchandise and television programs.

History

McDonaldland was created in 1971 as a marketing campaign for McDonald's. The idea was to create a magical world that would appeal to children. The first commercials featuring the characters were aired in 1971. The characters and the world of McDonaldland were created by the advertising agency Needham, Harper & Steers.

Characters

McDonaldland was populated by a variety of characters, most of which were anthropomorphic items of food and drink. The main character was Ronald McDonald, the clown mascot of the restaurant. Other characters included:

• Mayor McCheese: The mayor of McDonaldland, who has a cheeseburger for a head.
• The Hamburglar: A character who is always trying to steal hamburgers.
• Grimace: A large, purple character who is one of Ronald's friends.
• Birdie the Early Bird: A character introduced in the 1980s to promote the restaurant's new breakfast items.
• The Fry Kids: Characters who were introduced to promote the restaurant's french fries.

Legal Issues

In the 1970s, McDonald's was sued by the creators of the children's television show H.R. Pufnstuf, who claimed that the concept of McDonaldland and several of its characters were plagiarized from their show. The case was settled out of court.

Decline and Discontinuation

In the late 1990s, McDonald's began to phase out the use of McDonaldland in its advertising. The characters were gradually retired, with Ronald McDonald being the last to go. The last McDonaldland commercial aired in 2003.

Legacy

Despite its discontinuation, McDonaldland has left a lasting impact on popular culture. The characters, especially Ronald McDonald, have become iconic figures. McDonaldland has also been referenced in various forms of media, including television shows and films.

See Also

• History of McDonald's
• Advertising of McDonald's
• List of McDonald's characters

References

• McDonaldland. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonaldland
• McDonaldland. (n.d.). In McDonald's Wiki. Retrieved from https://mcdonalds.fandom.com/wiki/McDonaldland

External Links

• McDonald's Official Website - Our History
• YouTube - McDonaldland Commercial (1971)