McDonald’s Netherlands has pulled a Christmas advert created using generative AI (artificial intelligence) after a strong online backlash.
The 45 second advert, released on 6 December, relied entirely on AI-generated video clips stitched together to tell a festive story. Almost immediately, viewers criticised the result, describing it as unsettling, poorly edited and emotionally hollow.
Within days, the video was removed, with McDonald’s Netherlands acknowledging it as an “important learning” while exploring the effective use of AI.
The reaction exposes a wider issue. While AI can generate imagery quickly and at scale, it still struggles to capture something essential, particularly at Christmas. Warmth, empathy, humour and shared experience are not technical outputs – they come from lived understanding, creative instinct and emotional intelligence.
When those are missing, audiences notice.
The criticism also reignited concerns around job displacement in creative industries. Even though the production company defended the process as complex and time intensive, many viewers focused on what was absent rather than what was achieved – real people, performances and emotion.
Other brands have seen mixed results with AI-led campaigns. Coca Cola has reported positive sentiment, while luxury brands like Valentino have faced similar criticism to McDonald’s.
The pattern is clear and tells us that while AI may be a useful tool, it cannot replace human judgement or creativity when trust and emotional connection matter most – especially at this time of year.
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