Overview
- The 45-second AI-generated spot was posted to McDonald’s YouTube channel on St. Nicholas Day and was quickly removed after comments were closed.
- The film portrayed chaotic holiday mishaps in Amsterdam-like settings and inverted the classic lyric to declare it "the most terrible time of the year."
- McDonald’s Netherlands said it is exploring effective uses of AI and acknowledged many guests view the holidays as "the most wonderful time of the year."
- Viewers criticized unsettling visuals and choppy edits and warned that AI-driven production could sideline actors and film crews.
- TBWA\Neboko and U.S. production firm The Sweetshop were credited; CEO Melanie Bridge said the team spent seven weeks creating thousands of takes and insisted, "This was not an AI trick."