McDonald's has pulled a holiday commercial produced via Artificial Intelligence following encountering considerable criticism on social media.
The short film was created with the help of AI-generated video and was first published online for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Audience Response and Removal
Following its publication, viewers on social media lambasted the employment of AI in the advert. Several described it as "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This experience serves as an valuable lesson as we explore the proper application of Artificial Intelligence," stated a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was developed for McDonald's by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It depicted various situations that might go awry during the holidays, under the slogan "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that include generative AI have become a increasing trend among major brands, notably for the Christmas campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has also launched consecutive AI-generated holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Since clips produced with current AI video tools are more likely to degrade the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also sparked fears about automation in the advertising industry, with some observers pointing out it might affect opportunities for production staff.
Defense from the Creators
Following the video's removal, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
She stated, the production process required "over a month and a half" and involved generating "countless iterations" which were then edited in post-production "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," she said. "It was a proper commercial."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was predominantly panned, the reception for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas ad from another major brand according to analysis achieved a 61% "positive feedback" from online commenters.
However, various brands have also faced criticism for employing AI in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that some called "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The incident underscores the ongoing debate within the advertising and creative industries about the trade-off between new tools and creative integrity.
