McDonald’s Netherlands recently faced considerable backlash following the release of a Christmas advertisement that utilized Artificial Intelligence (AI) for its production. The advertisement, lasting 45 seconds, was publicly shared on the brand’s YouTube channel on December 6, 2025. It aimed to capture the essence of the holiday season, albeit through the lens of humor that highlighted the “most terrible time of the year.” However, upon its release, social media watchers voiced significant discontent, pointing out the disjointed nature and unsettling quality of the AI-generated visuals.
The online criticism reached a peak when numerous viewers described the advertisement as “creepy” and “poorly edited,” with some going so far as to label it as “the most god-awful ad I’ve seen this year.” Following this backlash, McDonald’s Netherlands made the swift decision to pull the advertisement on December 9, just three days after its initial launch. In a public statement, the fast-food chain described the situation as a learning opportunity while they continue to explore the effective incorporation of AI technologies in their marketing strategies.
This particular advertisement was produced by the Dutch agency TBWANeboko in collaboration with the American production company The Sweetshop. The trend of utilizing generative AI in advertisements is becoming more prevalent among major brands, as seen with other companies like Coca-Cola, especially during the festive season. The concept behind the McDonald’s advertisement was to portray a humorous take on the chaos and stress often associated with holiday gatherings, ultimately suggesting that one might prefer to spend it at McDonald’s instead.
Despite the intention behind this campaign, the use of AI for such projects raised concerns among audience members. Viewers commented on the uncanny appearance of the animated characters in the advertisement and noted the blending of numerous short clips, which is characteristic of AI-generated sequences. This method often involves stitching together various segments, which can result in visual discontinuities over longer formats—a common occurrence given that AI-generated clips typically run between six to ten seconds.
Aside from artistic criticism, the ad invoked apprehensions about job displacement within the creative industry. One viewer expressed their dismay on Instagram, suggesting that traditional roles—including those of actors and filming crews—were being replaced by such technological advances, saying, “Welcome to the future of filmmaking. And it sucks.”
After the advertisement was rendered private, Melanie Bridge, the Chief Executive of The Sweetshop, came to its defense. She pointed out that creating the ad was a labor-intensive process that required “seven weeks” of effort, during which the team produced “thousands of takes,” indicating that it involved considerable human oversight and creativity despite being AI-assisted. In her defense, she reiterated, “This wasn’t an AI trick. It was a film.”
McDonald’s Netherlands added that the purpose of the advertisement was to touch upon the tumultuous aspects of holiday celebrations but acknowledged that it had decided to retract the video. The brand emphasized the situation as an important learning experience regarding AI usage in advertising.
The current advertising landscape is shifting, with companies increasingly interested in leveraging AI to expedite production timelines. High-profile campaigns that once took nearly a year can now potentially be created in much shorter periods thanks to generative AI applications. While some brands, like Coca-Cola, have seemingly garnered positive responses with their AI-generated Christmas ads, others face mounting pressures and criticism. For instance, luxury fashion brand Valentino also attracted negative feedback for its AI-driven marketing approaches, with detractors labeling their ads as “cheap” and “lazy.”
The incident surrounding McDonald’s Netherlands serves as a clear narrative of the ongoing tension between traditional advertising methods and the integration of AI technology, reflecting the broader trends and challenges within the advertising industry.
