The global fast-food chain has removed a holiday advertisement made with Artificial Intelligence after receiving significant online backlash.
The 45-second ad was developed using generative AI clips and was initially published publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, audiences online denounced the employment of AI in the film. Several called it "uncanny" and "poorly edited".
"This experience represents an valuable learning as we explore the appropriate utilization of Artificial Intelligence," commented a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was developed for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It showed a series of things that can go wrong over the Christmas break, using the theme "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI Commercials
Adverts that incorporate AI-created content have emerged as a growing phenomenon among major corporations, particularly for the holiday season.
- Another beverage giant has recently launched back-to-back AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Technical Challenges: Since clips created using current AI video tools are susceptible to become unstable the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked worries about the replacement of human roles in the advertising industry, with some critics stating it might reduce opportunities for production staff.
Response from the Creators
After the ad being taken down, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
Bridge claimed, the production process took "over a month and a half" and involved producing "thousands of takes" which were then crafted in post-production "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't just an AI gimmick," Bridge asserted. "It was a film."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was mostly criticized, the response for some AI-assisted campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas spot from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have likewise received backlash for using the technique in marketing. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some described as "cheap" and "uncanny".
The episode illustrates the ongoing debate within the marketing and creative industries about the balance between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
