McDonald’s has pulled a Christmas advertisement in the Netherlands. The company removed the ad after it received strong negative reactions online. Viewers criticized the ad’s strange and unsettling visuals.
The ad was announced on December 1, 2025. It was created almost entirely using artificial intelligence (AI) tools. By December 9, McDonald’s Netherlands had made the official video private on YouTube. This action was taken after days of growing criticism.
What Was in the Ad?
The 45-second ad had a darkly humorous theme. It changed the lyrics of the classic song “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” The new version called December “the most terrible time.”
The video showed quick scenes of holiday stress and chaos. It featured chaotic family dinners, last-minute gift shopping, and winter accidents. One scene showed an ice skater with strangely bending limbs. Another showed carolers being blown by strong wind. The ad ended by suggesting people could “hide out in McDonald’s until January’s here.”
The ad was part of a local campaign called “December could use a little McDonald’s.” The goal was to connect with people feeling stressed during the busy holiday season.
Why Did People React So Negatively?
The public reaction was fast and largely negative. People focused on the ad’s “uncanny valley” effect. This term describes when something looks almost human, but not quite, which causes unease.
The AI-generated humans had rubbery skin, unnatural motions, and distorted faces. Viewers found these flaws creepy and off-putting. Comments on social media called the ad “a nightmare,” “soulless,” and “disturbing.”
The criticism became so intense that McDonald’s disabled the comments on the YouTube video. Eventually, the company took the ad down from its official channel. Copies of the ad continued to spread on other social media platforms, where discussion and mockery continued.
How Was the Ad Made?
The ad was created by the advertising agency TBWA\NEBOKO. The production was handled by a company called The Sweetshop and its AI division, The Gardening.club.
The creators were open about their use of AI. They said they wanted to create a unique style that would be difficult with traditional filming. Darre van Dijk from The Gardening.club called it their “first fully fledged AI commercial.”
After the backlash, the production team defended their work. They said the ad required “seven intense weeks” of work by a large team of artists and technicians. Melanie Bridge, CEO of The Sweetshop, argued that the ad was a product of human craft. “AI didn’t make this film,” she said. “We did.”
The Bigger Picture
This incident highlights a major challenge for marketers. AI video generation is becoming more common. However, this case shows that audiences are still very sensitive to flaws in AI-generated humans.
Other brands have used AI in ads more successfully. For example, a recent Coca-Cola holiday ad used a cartoon style. This avoided the uncanny valley problem that McDonald’s ad faced.
The failed McDonald’s ad shows that technology alone is not enough. The tone of the message and the quality of the visuals are still very important. For now, it seems that attempts at photorealistic AI humans can attract more scrutiny than praise.