The global fast-food chain has pulled a holiday commercial produced using Artificial Intelligence following encountering significant online backlash.
The short spot was produced using generative AI clips and was first published on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Audience Response and Removal
Shortly after its release, audiences online lambasted the employment of AI in the advert. Many called it "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This experience is an key lesson as we investigate the effective utilization of AI," commented a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was developed for McDonald's by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It depicted various situations that often go badly during the Christmas break, under the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Campaigns that incorporate generative AI have emerged as a rising phenomenon among major companies, particularly for the holiday period.
- Another beverage giant has also released back-to-back AI-generated holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: As segments produced with current AI video tools are prone to become unstable the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also raised concerns about the replacement of human roles in the production sector, with some commenters stating it might reduce work for camera crews.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
Bridge claimed, the production process required "seven weeks" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then crafted in post-production "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," she commented. "We consider it a finished piece."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was largely criticized, the reception for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas spot from another major brand reportedly achieved a significant "positive sentiment rating" from the public.
However, other businesses have likewise faced scrutiny for using AI in marketing. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics called "lazy" and "uncanny".
The episode underscores the continuing conversation within the advertising and creative industries about the trade-off between new tools and human craftsmanship.
