PR Roundup: McDonald's AI Humbug, AI Optimism and Elf on the Shelf Hits the Beach
Three stories, one theme: what works in 2025 PR is human, practical and experience-first. An AI ad misfire, a workforce ready for AI with the right support, and a holiday partnership that turns tradition into a trip.
Why the McDonald's AI Christmas Ad Missed the Mark
McDonald's Netherlands pulled its AI-generated Christmas spot after backlash hit fast. The 45-second ad flipped the season into "the most terrible time of the year," leaned on eerie AI visuals and suggested hiding out at McDonald's until January. Viewers called it cynical and "AI slop," and the brand disabled comments, made the video private and removed it three days after posting, as reported by Inc.
The result: renewed skepticism about AI in emotionally-charged creative. The spot lacked warmth and the brand's usual cues-comfort, connection, joy, family, and familiar rituals. As Morgan Seamark, Managing Partner at Triggers, put it, AI work should be judged by the same standards as any other: if the idea is weak, the tech won't save it.
What PR and comms leaders should do
- Start with the idea. If a human version would still fall flat, AI won't fix it.
- Protect "memory structures" that make your brand instantly recognizable. Build on nostalgia and rituals, not against them.
- Use AI as a helper, not the headline. If the novelty becomes the story, you've lost the plot.
- Pre-test with small audiences. Watch for words like "creepy," "soulless," and "off." They're early alarms.
- Plan a fast-exit protocol: comment moderation, alternate cuts and clear holding statements.
Ruder Finn Survey: Employees Are Optimistic About AI-If Change Management Catches Up
A new global survey of 225 internal comms and HR leaders from Ruder Finn shows a clear signal: most employees are positive about AI, but they need support to use it well. Economic and workplace issues are bigger stressors than AI itself.
- 66% are optimistic about AI. Only 10% cited AI as the biggest source of uncertainty.
- 58% see gains in innovation and 55% in productivity; fewer see improvements in engagement (38%) and collaboration (37%).
- EQ-led skills-creativity and innovative thinking-rank higher than technical depth for future success (58%).
- 73% say weak change management is blocking adoption-training and clear strategies are lagging.
The takeaway: the tech is ready; culture and clarity lag. Leaders who invest in empathy, trust and hands-on enablement will realize the benefits faster. As Nick Leonard and Kate Hardin of Ruder Finn emphasized, employees want to try AI, but many don't feel empowered to learn, test and apply it to real work.
Action plan for internal comms
- Publish a simple AI policy: approved tools, guardrails, data rules, and what "good" looks like.
- Train for outcomes, not features: show how AI saves time on briefs, summaries, plans and reporting.
- Launch pilot teams with clear success metrics; share wins company-wide in plain English.
- Pair AI training with EQ skills: feedback, storytelling and decision-making under uncertainty.
- Give people time to learn. Budget hours for experimentation and practice.
If your team needs a structured path, here's a curated list of practical AI upskilling paths by job role that comms leaders can adapt for internal programs.
Elf on the Shelf Takes a Beach Break-and Wins with Experiential
Beaches Resorts partnered with Elf on the Shelf to reimagine a beloved tradition for families traveling to Jamaica and Turks & Caicos. On-property, the idea became real through themed parties, holiday story times, movie nights and a first-ever Elf on the Shelf Caribbean Vacation Suite at Beaches Turks and Caicos.
The move met a simple need: help families keep rituals alive while away. It also delivered a photogenic experience built for sharing, earning national coverage across USA Today, Travel + Leisure, Bloomberg, Lonely Planet, Woman's Day and the New York Post. As Luisana Suegart of Unique Vacations explained, when storytelling becomes experiential, people want to participate and spread it.
How to borrow this playbook
- Map the ritual. Identify the tradition your audience cares about, then make it travel-friendly or location-ready.
- Create a signature moment or space-limited-time rooms, pop-ups or suites that turn the idea into a memory.
- Build in easy content: photo spots, story prompts, keepsakes and a simple hashtag.
- Extend off-site with a mobile activation to spark city buzz and earned media.
- Pitch the cultural angle first, the brand second. Let the experience carry the story.
What This Week Means for PR and Comms Teams
- AI isn't the problem; weak ideas and poor change management are. Lead with strategy and human truth.
- Audience tolerance for soulless AI is low. Warmth, craft and brand cues matter.
- Experiences that turn stories into moments travel further than ads-especially during the holidays.
Enjoy the break. Tighten your 2026 playbook with clearer AI policies, stronger pilot programs and one unforgettable experiential idea your audience will talk about long after the season ends.
Your membership also unlocks:
