McDonald’s removed a Christmas advert created with artificial intelligence after facing sharp criticism online. The fast-food chain took down the 45-second video from its Netherlands YouTube channel on December 9, just three days after its release. According to BBC News, viewers called the AI-generated ad creepy and poorly made.
Public Reaction and Technical Issues
Social media users quickly condemned the advert. One commenter labeled it the most god-awful ad of the year. The video showed stressful holiday moments using the slogan the most terrible time of the year. It suggested customers spend time at McDonald’s instead.
The advert featured many short clips stitched together. Generative AI typically creates clips that run six to 10 seconds long. Longer videos tend to distort, so the 45-second ad required editing many separate pieces. Viewers noticed the uncanny appearance of characters and rough transitions between scenes.
Critics also raised concerns about job loss in the creative industry. One Instagram comment noted the absence of actors and camera crews. The comment warned this approach represents the future of filmmaking.
Production Details and Industry Response
Defense of Creative Process
Dutch company TBWA Neboko and US production firm The Sweetshop made the advert. The Sweetshop’s chief executive Melanie Bridge defended the work. As quoted in Futurism, she said the team worked for seven weeks and created thousands of takes. She insisted it was a film, not an AI trick.
McDonald’s Netherlands stated the video aimed to reflect holiday stress. The company called the moment an important learning experience as it explores AI use. Traditional high-profile Christmas campaigns often take up to a year to produce. Companies now turn to faster methods using generative AI tools.
Other brands have faced similar criticism. Coca-Cola released its second AI Christmas ad this year. Analytics company Social Sprout found it had a 61 percent positive sentiment rating. Italian fashion house Valentino drew fire for AI-generated handbag ads that critics called cheap and lazy. The trend continues as brands experiment with AI-generated content for marketing campaigns.
