The global fast-food chain has pulled a Christmas advert produced using AI after encountering considerable criticism on social media.
The brief film was produced with the help of AI-generated video and was first uploaded on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, commenters lambasted the employment of AI in the commercial. Several labeled it "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This moment is an valuable lesson as we explore the appropriate use of generative technology," stated a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was created for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of scenarios that often go badly over the festive season, using the theme "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI in Advertising
Commercials that feature AI-created content have emerged as a increasing phenomenon among prominent brands, notably for the holiday season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly released back-to-back AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Inherent Limitations: As videos created with current AI video tools are more likely to become unstable the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also sparked fears about job displacement in the production industry, with some critics noting it might negatively impact work for production staff.
Defense from the Creators
After the video's removal, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
According to her, the development required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "thousands of takes" which were then shaped in post-production "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't an AI gimmick," she said. "It was a finished piece."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was predominantly panned, the response for some AI-generated holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas spot from another major brand reportedly garnered a significant "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, various brands have also faced scrutiny for employing the technique in marketing. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics called "lazy" and "disturbing".
The episode underscores the continuing conversation within the advertising and production sectors about the trade-off between new tools and audience reception.
