McDonald’s Pulls AI Christmas Ad After Backlash Over Unsettling Tone and Glitchy Visuals

McDonald’s Netherlands recently withdrew an AI‑generated holiday advertisement just days after its release following widespread public criticism. The 45‑second commercial, designed for the Christmas season, attempted to depict the annual holiday rush as stressful and chaotic, but instead drew backlash for its unsettling imagery, odd tone, and lack of emotional resonance. The fast‑food giant disabled comments on the video before ultimately removing it entirely in response to the negative reception.

When AI Meets Holiday Advertising

The now‑recalled ad stood out for its use of generative artificial intelligence to craft every scene. It was intended to capture unusual and hectic moments during the festive period — from dysfunctional family dinners to botched holiday decorations — set to a satirical twist on a classic Christmas song that reframed the season as “the most terrible time of the year.” McDonald’s Netherlands said the concept was meant to reflect real stressors that some people feel during the holidays, offering McDonald’s as a “comforting escape.”

However, viewers reacted very differently. Many found the visuals creepy, hollow, or “soulless,” criticizing the computer‑generated figures and scenes for feeling unnatural and emotionally void. Rather than inspiring holiday cheer, the commercial’s stylistic choices and abrupt editing left audiences uncomfortable — a reaction amplified by the uncanny look of AI‑generated human figures and odd physical distortions that struggle to mimic real‑world movement convincingly.

A Creative Pushback and Defensive Response

The studio that produced the ad defended the process, stressing that significant human effort was invested in shaping the AI outputs. They described a labor‑intensive workflow involving teams of specialists refining thousands of iterations to achieve a finished product. The production company asserted that the advertisement was a genuine piece of filmmaking, not merely a gimmick, and that AI was used as a tool under close human control.

But this defense did little to soften the criticism. Audiences and industry observers noted that the final result still exhibited hallmarks of early‑generation AI media — disjointed transitions, awkward character movement, and a visual style that seemed to distract more than it connected. For many, the ad became emblematic of a broader tension between automated content generation and the human touch that traditional marketing depends on.

The Backlash Widens the Debate on AI in Creativity

The McDonald’s incident is not isolated. Other major brands that experimented with AI‑generated holiday ads earlier this year also faced consumer pushback, highlighting a broader skepticism about whether generative AI is ready for emotionally sensitive creative work. In McDonald’s case, the unusually bleak tone compounded the issue; holiday ads traditionally aim for warmth, nostalgia, and shared joy, and the choice to emphasize stress and chaos was widely seen as tone‑deaf.

Critics argued that while automation might boost efficiency or reduce costs, it can’t yet replicate the emotional fidelity audiences expect from brand storytelling — especially around culturally significant moments like Christmas. Some observers also framed the episode as a reminder that technological novelty should complement, not replace, human creativity.

Lessons for Brands Navigating AI Innovation

For McDonald’s, the withdrawal of the ad serves as a learning moment about the limits of current AI tools in advertising. Even with weeks of specialized effort behind it, the commercial failed to resonate with audiences and risked alienating customers by leaning too heavily on generative technology while neglecting authentic emotional connection.

The episode also underscores the wider challenge brands face when integrating cutting‑edge tools into traditional creative workflows: balancing innovation with audience expectations, and ensuring that technology enhances rather than undermines core brand values. As marketers continue exploring AI as a tool, the McDonald’s ad controversy could prompt a more cautious and thoughtful approach to where and how generative AI is used in storytelling and brand engagement.