Overview
- The 45‑second video, titled “It’s the Most Terrible Time of the Year,” showed AI‑generated holiday mishaps set to a reworked version of the Andy Williams classic and urged viewers to “hide out in McDonald’s till January’s here.”
- McDonald’s Netherlands confirmed the ad’s removal and said it recognized that many customers view the season as “the most wonderful time of the year.”
- In communications with reporters, McDonald’s emphasized that the commercial was produced for McDonald’s Netherlands, signaling a desire to contain the issue locally.
- Production was attributed to Sweetshop Films and TBWA/Neboko, and Sweetshop’s now‑removed statement said up to 10 in‑house AI and post specialists at its “The Gardening Club” worked for seven weeks on thousands of AI‑generated takes.
- The episode follows other criticized AI holiday efforts, including Coca‑Cola’s recent AI‑assisted campaigns, fueling industry debate over the quality and risks of generative‑AI advertising.