McDonald’s Netherlands confirmed the video’s removal, noting the moment served as an important learning in AI usage|Storm Crypt|CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
McDonald’s Netherlands has come under scrutiny for its AI-generated Christmas advertisement, which has now been removed from its YouTube channel.
The 45-second AI ad used the slogan “the most terrible time of the year,” depicted people experiencing holiday mishaps and finding comfort at the fast-food chain.
The theme and AI-generated content quickly received widespread online criticism for poor editing and for how AI use is displacing jobs.
In response, McDonald’s Netherlands released a statement confirming the video’s removal, noting the moment served as “an important learning as we explore the effective use of AI.”
Major brands, including Coca-Cola and fashion house Valentino, have increasingly adopted generative AI for holiday campaigns, though the latter also faced negative reviews.