McDonald's has removed a Christmas advertisement created using Artificial Intelligence following facing significant criticism on social media.
The brief spot was developed via AI-generated video and was first released online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Social Media Criticism and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media criticized the use of AI in the film. A number of described it as "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This incident represents an key learning as we explore the effective utilization of generative technology," stated a representative from the company.
The commercial was created for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of scenarios that often go badly during the Christmas break, with the slogan "the most terrible time of the year".
The Trend of AI Commercials
Adverts that incorporate AI tools have become a growing trend among major corporations, particularly for the holiday campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has also launched back-to-back AI-created holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: As videos produced with generative AI are prone to distort the more extended they are, the majority of such clips tend to be roughly short in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also raised concerns about automation in the production industry, with some commenters stating it might affect opportunities for camera crews.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
According to her, the development required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then shaped afterward "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "We consider it a finished piece."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was largely criticized, the response for other AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday ad from another major brand reportedly garnered a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, other businesses have likewise encountered criticism for employing AI in marketing. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics called "cheap" and "uncanny".
The incident underscores the evolving debate within the advertising and creative industries about the trade-off between technological innovation and audience reception.
