McDonald's is hitting the brakes on its latest attempt to experiment with artificial intelligence.
According to the BBC, the company’s Netherlands division quietly removed a holiday commercial this week after the AI-generated spot drew swift and overwhelming criticism online.
The 45-second ad debuted on December 6 on McDonald’s Netherlands’ YouTube channel. It stitched together a series of short, generative-AI clips meant to portray holiday mishaps, using the tagline “the most terrible time of the year” before pivoting to the comfort of a McDonald’s visit.
Instead of festive cheer, viewers were met with distorted faces, jarring transitions, and a visual style many described as unsettling.
The loudest reaction came from Theodore McKenzie, head of content at gaming media outlet 80 Level. Sharing the video on social media, he wrote, “McDonald’s unveiled what has to be the most god-awful ad I've seen this year – worse than Coca-Cola's. Fully AI-generated, that's one. Looks repulsive, that's two. More cynical about Christmas than the Grinch, that's three.”
His post amplified a broader wave of pushback, with commenters calling the imagery “creepy” and “poorly edited.”
Three days after the launch, McDonald’s Netherlands took the video private. It also stated to the BBC, acknowledging the misstep, calling the experience “an important learning” as it evaluates how to use AI responsibly in future campaigns.
The commercial was produced by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko in partnership with U.S.-based production company The Sweetshop.
Melanie Bridge, The Sweetshop’s CEO, defended the process in comments shared by Futurism, saying the team spent seven weeks refining the footage. According to Bridge, the crew “hardly slept” and generated “thousands of takes” to build the final edit. “This wasn’t an AI trick,” she said. “It was a film.”
Still, the ad reignited concerns within the creative community about the industry’s shift toward generative tools. One viewer on Instagram summed up the sentiment: “No actors, no camera team… welcome to the future of filmmaking. And it sucks.”
Major brands have been experimenting heavily with AI during the holiday season. Coca-Cola rolled out its second consecutive AI-enhanced Christmas campaign this year, which analytics firm Social Sprout reported had a 61% positive sentiment rating. Others, including luxury label Valentino, have faced criticism for similar approaches.