McDonald's Netherlands removed an AI-generated Christmas advertisement from YouTube after widespread criticism from viewers who called the content unsettling and creepy. The 45-second spot, titled "The Most Terrible Time of the Year," was posted to the company's Dutch YouTube channel on December 6, 2025, and depicted a string of AI-generated holiday mishaps set to a reworked version of "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year."
Scenes included a family's presents falling off a car roof, a man breaking bones while ice skating, a woman dragged by a tram after her coat caught in the door, and a man causing a citywide blackout while hanging Christmas lights. The ad closed by inviting viewers to escape the holiday "madness" at McDonald's.
Social media users criticized both the visual quality of the AI-generated footage and the tone of the ad itself. Writer Richard Roeper said the commercial succeeded only if the goal was "creepy" and "poorly edited." Another commenter called the concept "offensive from every angle," arguing that the AI-generated visuals amplified an already tone-deaf premise. McDonald's Netherlands removed the video three days after it was posted. In a statement to NBC News, the company said the ad was meant to reflect stressful holiday moments but acknowledged that for many customers the season remains "the most wonderful time of the year." The spot was produced by U.S. production company Sweetshop Films and Dutch advertising agency TBWA/Neboko; Sweetshop's CEO defended the use of AI in a LinkedIn post that was later deleted.
Source: NBC News - https://www.nbcnews.com/world/europe/mcdonalds-ai-generated-christmas-advert-social-media-backlash-rcna248590