The global fast-food chain has taken down a Christmas advert made with AI following encountering widespread criticism on social media.
The brief spot was developed via generative AI clips and was originally published publicly for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, audiences online criticized the employment of AI in the commercial. Many called it "uncanny" and "jarringly assembled".
"This moment represents an key lesson as we examine the proper use of Artificial Intelligence," said a statement from the company.
The advert was created for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It depicted various situations that often go badly during the holidays, using the slogan "the most terrible time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI Commercials
Commercials that include generative AI have emerged as a rising phenomenon among prominent companies, especially for the Christmas period.
- Coca-Cola has also released back-to-back AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Technical Challenges: Since videos made using generative AI are prone to become unstable the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be roughly a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also provoked concerns about the replacement of human roles in the advertising sector, with some observers stating it might reduce work for production staff.
Response from the Creators
Following the video's removal, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
She stated, the production process took "over a month and a half" and involved generating "countless iterations" which were then shaped in post-production "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an experiment," Bridge asserted. "The result was a film."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was predominantly panned, the reception for other AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas ad from Coca-Cola reportedly received a significant "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, other businesses have also encountered backlash for employing AI in marketing. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics called "lazy" and "disturbing".
The incident highlights the ongoing debate within the advertising and production sectors about the trade-off between new tools and creative integrity.
