The global fast-food chain has taken down a Christmas advert created via Artificial Intelligence after facing significant criticism on social media.
The brief ad was produced using AI-generated video and was first released online for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Viewer Reaction and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, commenters denounced the employment of AI in the advert. Many labeled it "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This moment is an valuable lesson as we investigate the effective utilization of AI," said a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was produced for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various scenarios that might go awry during the festive season, using the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that incorporate generative AI have become a rising trend among large corporations, particularly for the holiday period.
- Another beverage giant has also released consecutive AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Since videos made using current AI video tools are prone to degrade the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be roughly six to 10 seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also provoked fears about automation in the advertising sector, with some observers stating it might affect opportunities for production staff.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the video's removal, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
Bridge claimed, the production process required "seven weeks" and involved producing "thousands of takes" which were then edited afterward "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an experiment," she said. "We consider it a proper commercial."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was mostly panned, the reception for other AI-assisted campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday ad from another major brand according to analysis achieved a significant "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, various brands have also encountered scrutiny for using AI in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics called "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The episode illustrates the continuing debate within the marketing and creative industries about the balance between new tools and human craftsmanship.
