McDonald’s Throws AI Christmas Ad After Fans Reject ‘Synthetic’ Holiday Storytelling
Updated on
Published on
McDonald’s Netherlands has pulled a 45 second Christmas film built entirely from generative clips after online reaction turned sharply negative. Instead of cosy festive feels, viewers saw glitchy faces, odd gestures and a collage of short AI shots that never quite felt human. The ad lasted only a few days before being taken private, with the brand now calling it a learning experience around AI use.
For marketers, this is a clear reminder that Christmas work sits in a different category. Holiday campaigns are where brands are judged on sincerity, craft and emotional intelligence. If the story is about family stress, small rituals and shared comfort food, audiences expect real performances, real details and care on set. When the images feel synthetic, people quickly read it as cost cutting, not creativity.
The smarter AI play is to keep the technology in the background. Use it to explore references, tidy edits or build prototypes, then hand the final story back to human writers, directors and crews. In moments where brands are asking for trust and tradition, authenticity still beats novelty every time.
