McDonald’s thought it had a clever twist for the holidays. Instead, it served up festive slop.
McDonald’s Netherlands has removed its new Christmas commercial following criticism across social media. The 45-second spot, made entirely with generative AI, went live on Dec. 6 — and was gone three days later.
The video, produced by TBWA\Neboko and US production house The Sweetshop, stitched together dozens of fast-moving AI-generated clips built around the slogan “the most terrible time of the year.” Instead of cozy moments, viewers saw chaotic mishaps and glitchy characters struggling through holiday frustrations.
The reaction was overwhelmingly negative. One viewer on X called it “the most god-awful ad I’ve seen this year.” Others described it as “creepy,” “soulless,” and “poorly edited,” echoing criticisms seen across Instagram, X, and YouTube.
The main issue wasn’t just the gloomy theme; it was the technology itself.
Current generative AI video tools struggle to maintain image consistency over long periods. To hide these glitches, the commercial used rapid, frantic cuts that left viewers feeling dizzy rather than hungry. Viewers also took issue with the lack of a human connection.
McDonald’s responds: ‘An important learning’
McDonald’s Netherlands confirmed the ad’s removal, telling Newsweek: “The commercial was produced for McDonald’s Netherlands, but we have decided to remove our AI-generated Christmas advert.”
They added that the intention was to show stressful holiday moments but acknowledged that for many people, the season is still “the most wonderful time of the year.” The company said the backlash offers “important learning” as it assesses where AI fits into future campaigns.
Defending the ‘slop’
The Sweetshop, the production company behind the ad, pushed back at the criticism, stressing the human labor involved.
CEO Melanie Bridge said the project required intense effort, telling Futurism that the team “hardly slept” for seven weeks while producing “thousands of takes.” She added, “This wasn’t an AI trick. It was a film.”
“Ten people, five weeks, full-time. Blood, sweat, tears, and an honestly ridiculous amount of coaxing to get the models to behave and to honour the creative brief shot by shot,” Bridge elaborated on Instagram.
Still, those defences did little to soften reactions. The public consensus online remained that the ad looked rushed, artificial, and emotionally flat.
Growing resistance to AI-driven holiday campaigns
McDonald’s is far from alone in testing AI for seasonal advertising. Coca-Cola and other major brands have released similar AI-powered campaigns this year, which have also split audiences. A report cited by BBC News found Coke’s latest AI ad drew 61% positive sentiment, but others, like Valentino, have faced harsh criticism.
As brands race to experiment with generative tools, the McDonald’s incident suggests consumer patience may be thinning. Whether audiences eventually accept AI-generated ads or continue to reject them remains an open question.
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