What the McDonald’s AI commercial showed
A negative Christmas. The ad flipped the season into the most terrible time of the year, in AI-generated footage.
Holiday ads sell warmth. This one sold the opposite, with footage people could tell was generated. Two risks stacked in one minute: a cynical premise and synthetic faces, in the one season audiences are most protective of.
Why McDonald’s pulled it
The backlash was large enough that McDonald’s Netherlands disabled YouTube comments and removed the original upload, as Forbes reported.
It landed weeks after Coca-Cola’s second AI holiday ad, so viewers were primed. The Coca-Cola story is the same lesson a month earlier.
What McDonald’s runs on Meta now
McDonald’s current Meta ads are menu drops and creator-style clips: Spicy McNuggets are back, two meals and a hard choice.
What McDonald’s AI ad teaches advertisers
AI footage plus a cynical premise plus Christmas is three risks in one ad. Take one at a time.
- Holidays are the worst moment to test AI footage. Audiences are protective and primed.
- If the premise is edgy, the craft has to be beyond question.
- Have a plan for comments before you post, not after.
Director by Sprites is a full creative team for your startup. Every Monday you get finished, on-brand video ads, reviewed by a human. You never write a prompt.
More AI commercials
Every brand that has run an AI-made commercial, with how each one landed, is on the AI commercials hub.
See every AI commercial so far, what the generators cost per ad in video ad pricing, and the models behind them in AI video tools.
Frequently asked questions
Did McDonald’s make an AI commercial?
Yes. McDonald’s Netherlands released an AI-generated Christmas ad, It’s the Most Terrible Time of the Year, in December 2025.
Why did McDonald’s remove its AI Christmas ad?
After heavy backlash, McDonald’s Netherlands disabled comments and removed the original upload, as Forbes reported.
Want ads people want to watch at Christmas?
Craft matters most when the audience is paying attention. Director by Sprites is a full creative team for your startup, in private beta. Every Monday you get finished, on-brand video ads, reviewed by a human. You pick the winners. Sprites ships the campaigns.