McDonald’s has hopped on the AI Christmas ad train, serving up a truly chaotic festive campaign. Commemorating the “most terrible time of the year”, the ad is awash with quirky Christmas mishaps, from decorating disasters to cooking calamities, yet the worst part of the ad, according to critics, is its unabashed use of AI.
While AI technology seems to rapidly advance with each coming day, it’s clear that many folks are still uncomfortable with it – understandably, given issues such as copyright and job security, to name a few. While the production company behind the ad attests that it was curated by humans, the controversy raises questions about where we draw the line on AI advertising.
McDonald’s | It’s the most terrible time of the year – YouTube
Siding with the Grinches out there, the ad features exploding trees, burnt baked goods and dinner table disasters that cynically showcase the less merry side of the holidays. Thankfully, there’s one place free from chaos during the festivities – a golden-arched haven of serenity. I’m talking, of course, about McDonald’s. I have several issues with the controversial ad (besides the fact that I have never once had a relaxing McDonald’s experience, and quite frankly, could not imagine anywhere worse to seek refuge from an overstimulating Christmas).
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With those distinctly glossy, slightly blurry visuals that are common with AI-generated content, it’s distinctly fake and thus lacks a certain sense of soul. Regrettably, I feel it’s a poor use of the technology. While it may have been scripted for AI and curated with human talent, the ad comes across as slightly slapdash, showcasing a bodged-together reel of cheap goofs and bizarre visuals that seem more like an early storyboarding concept than an official Christmas ad.
McDonald’s unveiled what has to be the most god-awful ad I’ve seen this year – worse than Coca-Cola’s.Fully AI-generated, that’s one. Looks repulsive, that’s two. More cynical about Christmas than the Grinch, that’s three.I don’t wanna be the only one suffering, take a look: pic.twitter.com/lRYODLkkBJDecember 6, 2025
Created by The Sweetshop, the production company’s CEO has been staunch in defending the move. Writing for LBB that the ad “wasn’t a ‘prompt and pray’ project,” Melanie Bridge defends the choice to use AI, stating, “This script was always designed for AI, not as a gimmick, but because the scale simply couldn’t exist in live action without a monstrous budget and a freezing European winter shoot.”
Described as “God-awful” and “repulsive” by critics, the ad has understandably proved unpopular despite Bridge’s explanation. It’s clear that many audiences would still prefer to see a human-made ad with real actors and traditional production, not only for the authenticity, but for the assurance that creative roles are still available in an industry that is suffering at the hands of AI. Yes, the technology keeps logistics simpler and costs down, but when the result has little to show for it, it’s hard to defend AI advertising such as this.
For more AI news, check out Coca-Cola’s controversial Christmas ad or take a look at what brands can learn from Coca-Cola’s terrible AI Christmas ad.