McDonald's has taken down a holiday commercial created using Artificial Intelligence following receiving widespread online backlash.
The brief film was produced via generative AI clips and was initially published on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, commenters lambasted the implementation of AI in the film. Many labeled it "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".
"This moment serves as an important learning as we investigate the effective use of generative technology," said a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was produced for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It showed various situations that often go badly during the festive season, with the tagline "the worst time of the year".
The Movement of AI in Advertising
Commercials that include generative AI have become a growing phenomenon among major brands, especially for the Christmas campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has recently released back-to-back AI-generated holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Because clips produced with current AI video tools are more likely to distort the more extended they are, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised fears about job displacement in the creative sector, with some observers stating it might affect work for camera crews.
Response from the Production Company
Following the ad being taken down, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
Bridge claimed, the production process required "over a month and a half" and involved generating "numerous versions" which were then edited in post-production "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This was not an experiment," she commented. "We consider it a finished piece."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's ad was mostly panned, the response for other AI-assisted campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas ad from another major brand reportedly received a significant "positive sentiment rating" from the public.
However, other businesses have likewise encountered criticism for employing AI in their campaigns. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that some called "lazy" and "disturbing".
The episode underscores the continuing discussion within the advertising and production sectors about the trade-off between AI efficiency and audience reception.
