The increasing popularity of generative AI has prompted major companies such as Coca-Cola and Google to venture into innovative advertising campaigns. However, public reception has been overwhelmingly negative. This trend continues as McDonald’s unveiled a 45-second Christmas advertisement aimed at its Netherlands audience, produced by the ad agency TBWA\Neboko, that has drawn significant criticism.
The ad, which portrays the festive season as “the most terrible time of the year,” features rapidly changing scenes typical of AI-generated content. This constant visual shift has become a hallmark of AI videos, often leading to a disjointed viewing experience. Similar to Coca-Cola’s holiday ad for 2025, the McDonald’s spot has been described as visually overwhelming, with bizarre characters and poor color grading that many viewers found off-putting.
Despite garnering only 20,000 views on YouTube, the backlash was fierce, prompting McDonald’s to disable comments and remove the video altogether following an intense outcry. Critics on social media expressed disbelief that such a large corporation could produce an unsatisfactory advertisement using its resources.
In defense of the project, The Sweetshop, the production company behind the ad, issued a rebuttal emphasizing the extensive labor involved. The CEO stated that their team dedicated weeks of work alongside AI specialists to produce the final cut, arguing that the large volume of generated content justified the final product. They highlighted that this effort was not merely an AI trick, but a genuine attempt at filmmaking.
This isn’t McDonald’s first foray into AI; earlier this year, they embraced the technology by posting AI-generated memes on their social media accounts, although that initiative received a lukewarm response as well.
While the creatives behind the campaign are proud of their work, audience reactions suggest a clear preference for traditional human craftsmanship in advertising. As the dialogue around the use of AI in creative industries continues, it appears that many consumers still cherish the authenticity and craft that come from human involvement.