The global fast-food chain has pulled a holiday commercial produced via generative AI following facing significant public disapproval.
The short ad was developed using AI video tools and was originally released publicly for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Social Media Reaction and Removal
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media lambasted the use of AI in the commercial. A number of described it as "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".
"This incident serves as an key lesson as we examine the appropriate utilization of generative technology," commented a statement from the company.
The advert was created for the brand by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It showed various things that might go awry over the festive season, under the tagline "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that include AI tools have become a increasing phenomenon among large corporations, particularly for the holiday campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly released back-to-back AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: As clips produced with current AI video tools are susceptible to distort the longer they run, most such clips tend to be roughly short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also sparked worries about the replacement of human roles in the creative industry, with some commenters pointing out it might reduce opportunities for camera crews.
Response from the Creators
After the video's removal, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
According to her, the creation required "seven weeks" and involved producing "numerous versions" which were then shaped in post-production "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This was not an AI gimmick," she commented. "It was a film."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was largely criticized, the response for other AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas ad from another major brand reportedly achieved a 61% "positive feedback" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have likewise faced backlash for employing the technique in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics described as "cheap" and "disturbing".
The situation underscores the evolving discussion within the advertising and production sectors about the balance between AI efficiency and audience reception.
