McDonald’s Pulls Ad After Holiday Backlash
A McDonald’s ad in the Netherlands, titled “The Worst Time of the Year,” showed chaotic holiday scenes – Santa stuck in traffic, a cyclist falling in the snow.The idea? Encourage people to hide out in a McDonald’s until January to survive the season. It didn’t quite land that way.
Instead of a chuckle, the ad sparked a wave of criticism online, as reported by The Guardian. People weren’t happy.
“This ad alone ruined my Christmas mood,” one user wrote. Another simply called it “the worst ad I’ve seen this year. More cynical than the Grinch.”
This McDonald’s ad is… something else. 😬
“Take refuge in McDonald’s until January” 💀
Is this the most depressing Christmas ad ever? 🤔
➡️ https://t.co/wJ9wJq9w9q pic.twitter.com/wJ9wJq9w9q
– Ted McKenzie (@realTedMcKenzie) December 8, 2023
McDonald’s Netherlands released a statement on Wednesday explaining the ad aimed to highlight stressful holiday moments. “However, we’ve noticed, based on comments and media coverage, that for many, this is actually the ‘most gorgeous time of the year,'” they said.
The use of artificial intelligence in the ad’s creation also drew fire. Melanie Bridgeová, CEO of Sweetshop Films (which filmed the ad), defended the clip on LinkedIn, stating, “It’s never about replacing…”
2025/12/13 04:40:47