McDonald’s Netherlands has retracted a controversial Christmas advertisement created entirely with artificial intelligence technology following significant online criticism. The 45-second commercial, which premiered on the fast food chain’s YouTube channel on December 6th, utilized generative AI clips to portray holiday mishaps under the ironic slogan ‘the most terrible time of the year.’
The advertisement immediately drew sharp criticism across social media platforms, with viewers describing the visual aesthetics as ‘creepy’ and condemning the apparent poor editing quality. Particular attention was drawn to the uncanny appearance of AI-generated characters and the visibly stitched-together nature of multiple short clips, a technical limitation inherent in current AI video generation systems.
Beyond aesthetic concerns, the advertisement sparked serious discussions about AI’s potential impact on creative industries. Numerous commenters expressed alarm about job displacement, with one Instagram user noting the absence of traditional production roles: ‘No actors, no camera team… welcome to the future of filmmaking.’
Despite the backlash, production company The Sweetshop defended their creative process. Chief Executive Melanie Bridge revealed the project required seven weeks of intensive work, involving thousands of generated takes that were meticulously edited through traditional high-craft production methods. ‘This wasn’t an AI trick,’ Bridge asserted in statements to Futurism. ‘It was a film.’
McDonald’s Netherlands acknowledged the situation as ‘an important learning’ in their exploration of AI’s effective application in advertising. The company explained the advertisement’s intended purpose was to reflect stressful holiday moments while suggesting McDonald’s as a comforting solution.
This incident occurs amidst growing adoption of AI-generated content by major brands seeking to reduce production timelines. While Coca-Cola has reportedly achieved 61% positive sentiment with its AI Christmas campaigns, other luxury brands including Valentino have faced similar criticism for AI implementations deemed ‘cheap’ and ‘lazy’ by critics.
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between technological innovation and creative quality standards in digital advertising, particularly during high-stakes seasonal marketing campaigns.