The global fast-food chain has taken down a holiday advert created with generative AI after receiving considerable online backlash.
The short spot was produced with the help of AI video tools and was originally published online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Audience Reaction and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, audiences online lambasted the use of AI in the film. Several described it as "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This experience represents an valuable lesson as we examine the proper application of Artificial Intelligence," commented a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was developed for McDonald's by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It showed a series of things that might go awry during the Christmas break, with the theme "the worst time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI Commercials
Campaigns that feature AI-created content have emerged as a growing phenomenon among large companies, particularly for the holiday campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has similarly launched back-to-back AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Because segments made using current AI video tools are susceptible to become unstable the more extended they are, the majority of such clips tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked fears about the replacement of human roles in the creative sector, with some observers noting it might affect work for production staff.
Defense from the Production Company
After the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
She stated, the production process took "seven weeks" and involved generating "numerous versions" which were then shaped in post-production "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This was not an AI gimmick," she commented. "We consider it a finished piece."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's ad was mostly panned, the reception for other AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas spot from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a 61% "positive feedback" from the public.
However, several companies have also received backlash for employing AI in marketing. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics called "cheap" and "uncanny".
The situation highlights the continuing debate within the advertising and production industries about the balance between new tools and creative integrity.
