McDonald's pulls AI-generated Christmas ad after massive public backlash over quality and ethics
25 Sources
[1]
McDonalds and Coca-Cola Made AI Slop Holiday Commercials, and I'm Not Lovin' It
I was sitting in a movie theater with my mom, freshly buttered popcorn in hand, ready to see Dave Franco star in Now You See Me 3, when our previews were rudely interrupted with Coca-Cola's newest holiday ad. While my mom was enjoying the cute polar bears, I was scowling. When she asked me what was
[2]
Somehow, this AI-generated McDonald's ad about hating Christmas was a flop
If you're having a stressful holiday season, the answer is McDonald's -- at least, that's what a now-removed AI-generated ad suggested. Set to a song calling holiday season "the most terrible time of the year," the ad shows AI-generated people falling victim to a slew of wintery woes, including
[3]
McDonald's pulls AI-generated Christmas advert following backlash
The video also provoked concerns for job displacement in the industry, with one Instagram comment noting: "No actors, no camera team..welcome to the future of filmmaking. And it sucks." Following the video being made private on the McDonald's Netherlands YouTube channel, The Sweetshop's chief
[4]
Watch the AI-generated Christmas ad McDonald's pulled after massive backlash
Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. Facepalm: Companies that are excited about generative AI speeding up productivity - usually at the cost of human employees - often don't care about the public's opinion. But McDonald's just found
[5]
Everyone Hated the McDonald's AI Christmas Ad So Much It Got Taken Down
It's a disquieting new holiday tradition: a major corporation that should know not to dunk its reputation in the sewer celebrates the holidays by releasing a punishing, demonic commercial made with the latest batch of AI doohickeys. It's about how much the holiday season sucks. Get it? It's also
[6]
AI-made McDonald's Christmas ad angers people for lacking human touch
The 45-second spot revolved around the theme that the holiday season is the "most terrible time of the year." It was labeled "cold" and emotionless by viewers who decried its low quality and the use of AI rather than human artists. The advertisement was produced with the cynical idea that the
[7]
McDonald's Netherlands responds to AI holiday ad backlash
Normally, a brand would be thrilled if its new holiday commercial went viral, but a new McDonald's Netherlands ad has gone viral for all the wrong reasons. Originally posted to YouTube on Dec. 6, the holiday commercial was clearly made using generative AI, and it also features a label disclosing
[8]
'Ruined my Christmas spirit': McDonald's removes AI-generated ad after backlash
Commercial in Netherlands depicting festival-season chaos at 'most terrible time of year' prompted flurry of criticism online McDonald's says it has removed an AI-generated Christmas advertisement in the Netherlands after it was criticised online. The ad, titled "the most terrible time of the
[9]
McDonald's pulls AI-generated Christmas ad after backlash over 'soulless' visuals and holiday chaos
Viewers complained about its eerie visuals and chaotic style A McDonald's Netherlands commercial made with AI has vanished from screens after it provoked an avalanche of mockery and irritation from viewers. Complaints about unsettling visuals and an oddly violent tone for a holiday ad meant the ad
[10]
Filmmakers Behind Hideous AI-Generated McDonald's Ad Insist 'AI Didn't Make It - We Made It'
McDonald's has released an AI-generated Christmas ad featuring morphed faces and mangled bodies, but the filmmakers behind it insist they "hardly slept" for seven weeks while adding, "AI didn't make this film. We did." The 45-second ad made for McDonald's Netherlands is titled: 'It's the most
[11]
McDonald's Issues Extremely Weird Response to Its Disastrous AI Ad
"There is no consequence these companies cannot survive, they can not be held accountable, therefore they do not actually respond to backlash." McDonald's has become corporate enemy number one after its hideous AI holiday commercial went viral across numerous social media platforms for all the
[12]
McDonald's pulls widely mocked 'AI slop' Christmas ad
McDonald's has quietly pulled a festive advertisement made using AI after it came in for a torrent of abuse online. The 45-second clip, made for its Netherlands division, satirically brands the holiday season the "most terrible time of the year" and subjects viewers to a chaotic barrage of scenes
[13]
McDonald's pulls its AI-generated Christmas ad after backlash
It's safe to say that AI-generated ads are not going down well with audiences. After the backlash that greeted Coca-Cola's AI-generated Christmas ad last month, you'd expect other corporate giants to be more cautious about releasing their own AI-infused efforts. But no. Recommended
[14]
Not lovin' it: McDonald's pulls AI-generated Christmas ad after social media backlash
Some social media users in the Netherlands said they couldn't stomach it, so McDonald's has withdrawn an advertisement generated entirely by artificial intelligence. Entitled "the most terrible time of the year," the 45-second video was released on the fast-food giant's YouTube channel for the
[15]
McDonald's achieves AI apotheosis with a generative AI Christmas ad so utterly miserable, the production company responsible took down a statement defending it: This was 'an important learning,' McDonald's exec says, but what did we learn?
'The holidays suck ass and we'll be lucky to get out of them with our health and sanity intact, but at least we can shove some crappy fast food into our slack pieholes before the existential darkness claims us': That's the premise of a new McDonald's holiday ad that, as reported by the BBC, was
[16]
Not ready? McDonald's AI-generated ad taken down after public backlash - SiliconANGLE
Not ready? McDonald's AI-generated ad taken down after public backlash McDonald's has pulled a Christmas ad that was produced with artificial intelligence after the fast-food chain came under fire from much of the public. The 45-second film was released publicly on McDonald's Netherlands YouTube
[17]
McDonald's Turns Off Comments on AI-Generated Advert After Deluge of Mockery, Then Pulls It Down Entirely
Thanks to the rise in popularity of generative AI, mainstream companies like Coca-Cola and Google are jumping to use AI to plop out new advertisements. There's just one issue: pretty much everybody hates it. This year, McDonald's decided to get in on the corporate slopfest with a 45-second
[18]
McDonald's AI-Generated Christmas Ad Sparks Backlash: Not Lovin' It
Another brand is in the hot seat for using AI to generate Christmas cheer. McDonald's Netherlands has pulled a commercial generated entirely by artificial intelligence after social media backlash. The video, titled "It's the Most Terrible Time of the Year," was posted to its YouTube channel on
[19]
McDonald's Pulls 'Soulless' AI-Generated Christmas Ad After Wave Of Mockery
"Companies are racing to see who can piss off the most amount of people with the lowest amount of effort," one X user wrote. McDonald's took down its recent Christmas ad produced for the Netherlands after receiving widespread criticism and mockery for its use of generative artificial
[20]
McDonald's releases AI-generated Christmas advert
Turns out it's not just Coca-Cola giving us an AI-generated Christmas advert this year, as McDonald's is also looking to the controversial technology to give the company a promo for the holidays. The Coca-Cola ad drew a lot of criticism for its AI usage, and McDonald's isn't faring any better. The
[21]
McDonald's pulled its AI Christmas ad, but its 'actor' won't go away
It's hard to believe that McDonald's was surprised by the backlash against its AI-generated Christmas advert. It only had to look at the reaction to the Coca-Cola Christmas ad for a taste of what to expect. Unlike Coca-Cola, the fastfood giant has quickly pulled the advert, but it's already
[22]
Not lovin' it: McDonald's pulls Dutch AI Christmas ad
U.S. burger chain McDonald's said on Wednesday it had removed an AI-generated Christmas advert in the Netherlands after it was filleted online. The advert, "the most terrible time of the year", depicts Christmas chaos, with Santa caught in a traffic jam and a present-laden Dutch cyclist slipping
[23]
McDonald's pulls 'creepy' AI Christmas ad after viewer backlash:...
McDonald's has taken down a Christmas ad that was completely made with artificial intelligence after receiving an onslaught of backlash. The 45-second advertisement from McDonald's Netherlands was first posted on their YouTube channel on Dec. 6 and was removed just a few days later on Dec. 9 after
[24]
McDonald's latest Christmas ad is a new low for AI branding
McDonald's has hopped on the AI Christmas ad train, serving up a truly chaotic festive campaign. Commemorating the "most terrible time of the year", the ad is awash with quirky Christmas mishaps, from decorating disasters to cooking calamities, yet the worst part of the ad, according to critics, is
[25]
McDonald's Pulls 'God-Awful' AI-Generated Christmas Advert Just Days After Major Backlash, Calls It 'An Important Learning' - IGN
McDonald's has pulled a new ad created entirely with generative AI following a major backlash online. The 45-second clip was released on the McDonald's Netherlands' YouTube channel on December 6 -- with comments turned off -- and was removed from the platform on December 9. It depicted "the most
Share
Copy Link
McDonald's Netherlands removed its AI-generated holiday commercial following intense criticism over poor quality visuals, distorted faces, and concerns about job displacement in creative industries. The 45-second ad, created by The Sweetshop, featured bizarre physics and unnatural movements that viewers found unsettling. Despite claims the production took seven weeks with ten specialists, the negative public reception forced McDonald's to delist the advertisement from YouTube.
McDonald's Faces Intense Criticism Over AI-Generated Holiday Ad
McDonald's Netherlands has pulled its AI-generated ads from YouTube after facing overwhelming public backlash over the quality and ethics of using artificial intelligence for holiday commercials
3
. The 45-second advertisement, which depicted Christmas as "the most terrible time of the year," featured AI-generated people experiencing various holiday mishaps including family dinners, shopping disasters, and Christmas tree catastrophes2
. The commercial concluded by encouraging viewers to "hide out in McDonald's until January's here," a message that resonated poorly with audiences already fatigued by corporate AI adoption5
.
Source: New York Post
The advertisement exhibited telltale signs of generative AI production, including distorted faces, bizarre physics where limbs turned "jelly-like," and bodies that blended unnaturally into themselves
4
. One particularly jarring scene showed a person ice skating, only for their limbs to contort in unnatural ways mid-fall. Another sequence depicted a Christmas tree rotating downward "like the gate in a parking garage" rather than being pulled down naturally by a cat5
. These poor quality visuals became focal points of criticism across social media platforms.
Source: PetaPixel
The Sweetshop Defends Production Process Amid Controversy
The Sweetshop, specifically its AI division The Gardening.club, created the controversial commercial for advertising agency TBWA\NEBOKO
5
. In a LinkedIn post, the studio revealed the production required "seven intense weeks" and involved up to ten AI and post-production specialists working full-time2
. Melanie Bridge, CEO of The Sweetshop, defended the creative process on Instagram, stating the team "hardly slept" and that "the hours that went into this job far exceeded a traditional shoot"2
.Bridge elaborated that the production involved "thousands of takes" shaped through editing "just as we would on any high-craft production," insisting "This wasn't an AI trick. It was a film"
3
. The studio described their workflow as involving "real Google Earth plates, advanced style-transfer, pixel-level photo repair, custom LoRAs, control nets, bespoke ComfyUI graphs, and thousands upon thousands of tightly steered iterations"5
. However, these technical explanations did little to sway public opinion, with critics questioning why such extensive effort was needed if AI was supposed to streamline content creation.Job Displacement Concerns Amplify Negative Public Reception
Beyond aesthetic complaints, the advertisement sparked significant job displacement concerns within creative industries. One Instagram comment captured the sentiment: "No actors, no camera team..welcome to the future of filmmaking. And it sucks"
3
. This reaction reflects broader anxiety about AI in advertising replacing human animators, actors, and production crews. The irony that The Sweetshop claimed the production required more man-hours than traditional methods while simultaneously eliminating traditional creative roles was not lost on critics4
.The backlash intensified when considering McDonald's financial position. The company generated $25.9 billion in revenue in 2024, leading many to question why such a profitable corporation couldn't invest in human talent
1
. One social media user summarized the frustration: "If you're using A.I. to create something, then you didn't make anything"4
. This sentiment underscores growing ethical concerns about corporations prioritizing cost-cutting technology over supporting creative professionals.Related Stories
McDonald's Responds as AI Advertising Trend Continues
Following the delisted advertisement controversy, McDonald's Netherlands issued a statement acknowledging the misstep. The company explained the video was meant to "reflect the stressful moments that can occur during the holidays" but decided to remove it, noting "This moment serves as an important learning as we explore the effective use of AI"
3
. The response suggests corporations are still experimenting with AI boundaries without fully understanding consumer sentiment.McDonald's is not alone in facing criticism over AI-generated holiday commercials. Coca-Cola's AI campaign featuring polar bears and forest animals also drew negative public reception, though analytics company Social Sprout found it achieved a 61% positive sentiment rating
3
. Italian luxury fashion house Valentino similarly faced backlash for AI-generated content, with critics calling their advertisement "cheap" and "lazy"3
. According to Canva's 2025 Marketing and AI report, 94% of marketers have a dedicated AI budget, with three-quarters expecting that budget to grow1
. This trend suggests AI slop in advertising will persist despite consumer resistance, raising questions about brand reputation damage versus perceived production efficiencies. As Pratik Thakar, head of generative AI at Coca-Cola, bluntly stated: "The genie is out of the bottle, and you're not going to put it back in"4
.
Source: Gizmodo
References
Summarized by
Navi
Related Stories
McDonald's AI Ad Character Repurposed for Burger King After Catastrophic Campaign Pulled
18 Dec 2025•Entertainment and Society
Coca-Cola Doubles Down on AI Holiday Advertising Despite Backlash
03 Nov 2025•Entertainment and Society
Coca-Cola's AI-Generated Holiday Ad Sparks Controversy and Backlash
15 Nov 2024•Technology
Recent Highlights
1
AI Hallucination Nearly Sparked US Military Confrontation With Chinese Ship in Middle East
Technology
2
OpenAI AI Agent Hacks Australian Government Healthcare Website in First-of-Its-Kind Breach
Technology
3
AI leaders warn UN Security Council of existential risks to humanity, call for global safeguards
Policy and Regulation
Recent Highlights
Today's Top Stories
Don’t drown in AI news. We cut through the noise - filtering, ranking and summarizing the most important AI news, breakthroughs and research daily. Follow topics that matter to you and stay ahead.
