Dive Brief:

• McDonald’s is bringing back McDonaldland via a meal and multichannel campaign, per a press release. The fantasy world debuted in a 1971 ad but has not been featured in the brand’s marketing for more than 20 years.
• The campaign includes a website, TV commercial, experiential activations, a Fortnite takeover, Snapchat augmented reality activations and brand collaborations. Available Aug. 12, the McDonaldland Meal features a special shake and collectible souvenirs.
• Publicis, Wieden+Kennedy, TMS, ProdCo, We Are Social, IMG and IMS collaborated on different elements of the campaign, which again sees the chain tapping into nostalgia for its brand to drive engagement and sales.

Dive Insight:

McDonald’s is making one of its most expansive plays around nostalgia with the return of McDonaldland, the brand’s erstwhile advertising staple that includes brand characters Ronald McDonald, Grimace, Birdie, Hamburglar, Mayor McCheese and the Fry Friends. The last few years have seen the chain utilize specific brand characters in its marketing.

“Over the past few years we've seen how fans flock to our characters, everyone from Grimace to the Hamburglar. But many, especially the new generation, don't know that's just the tip of the iceberg. There's an entire magical world of McDonaldland filled with characters, places and lore,” said Jennifer “JJ” Healan, the brand’s vice president of U.S. marketing, brand, content and culture, in the press release.

While McDonald’s has utilized Hamburglar, Uncle O’Grimacey and Grimace (the latter of whom starred in what became a viral, sales-driving campaign), the new effort is the first time the entire crew of brand characters appears in the chain’s marketing, including in a psychedelic commercial soundtracked by Toro y Moi that reimagines an ad from 1971.

The McDonaldland meal features a Quarter Pounder with Cheese or a 10-piece Chicken McNuggets along with fries, a Mt. McDonaldland Shake with a surprise flavor and a collectible souvenir that press materials say will “unlock core memories.”

As with its other nostalgia-fueled campaigns, the McDonaldland effort spans traditional, digital and retail channels. The brand will bring McDonaldland to life at ThriftCon, Breakaway Music Festival, Watkin’s Glen International and the Daytona 500, tapping into consumer interest around fashion, music and sports. Digitally, McDonaldland will appear in Fortnite and a Snapchat AR experience that includes games, filters, lenses and a 3D map.

In addition, McDonald’s has teamed with Pacsun on a clothing collection that includes t-shirts, hoodies, bucket hats, claw clips and more, and with Away on a collection of travel accessories including luggage tags and bag charms. 

McDonald’s recently utilized nostalgia in the campaign around its returning Snack Wraps menu item, which has ignited a new stage in the so-called chicken wars among QSR chains. 

The McDonaldland campaign comes as the chain struggles amid continued consumer uncertainty. McDonald’s in the U.S. saw comparable sales decrease 3.6% in Q1 2025 and will announce Q2 2025 earnings on Aug. 6.