The global fast-food chain has taken down a holiday commercial produced via generative AI following encountering considerable public disapproval.
The brief ad was created using AI-generated video and was initially published online for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Removal
Shortly after its release, audiences online criticized the employment of AI in the film. A number of called it "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This experience represents an key learning as we explore the appropriate utilization of AI," stated a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was produced for McDonald's by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of situations that might go awry during the festive season, with the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI Commercials
Adverts that incorporate AI tools have emerged as a growing trend among prominent corporations, notably for the Christmas period.
- Coca-Cola has recently launched back-to-back AI-generated Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: As clips made using generative AI are susceptible to become unstable the more extended they are, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be only short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also raised fears about the replacement of human roles in the advertising sector, with some commenters pointing out it might reduce opportunities for actors.
Response from the Creators
After the commercial being pulled, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
According to her, the creation took "over a month and a half" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then edited during the edit "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," she said. "We consider it a finished piece."
Mixed Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was mostly panned, the response for some AI-generated holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday spot from another major brand according to analysis received a significant "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, several companies have likewise encountered backlash for using AI in marketing. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some described as "cheap" and "uncanny".
The situation underscores the evolving debate within the marketing and creative industries about the trade-off between technological innovation and audience reception.
