Overview
- McDonald’s Netherlands removed the AI‑generated Christmas commercial and called the episode an important learning on the effective use of AI.
- New fallout includes a viral satirical clip that clones a character from the ad to criticize McDonald’s and TBWA/Neboko, drawing tens of thousands of likes on Instagram.
- Sweetshop Films’ CEO Melanie Bridge defended the process in a now‑deleted post, saying ten people worked full‑time for five weeks and generated thousands of AI takes before editing like a traditional shoot.
- Online reaction was largely negative, with commenters calling the spot unsettling and inauthentic and criticizing its portrayal of the holidays.
- The project involved Sweetshop Films, Dutch agency TBWA/Neboko and AI partner The Gardening Club, and it is now cited in broader debates over generative‑AI advertising alongside Coca‑Cola’s recent controversies.