The global fast-food chain has pulled a Christmas commercial created with Artificial Intelligence following facing widespread public disapproval.
The short spot was developed with the help of generative AI clips and was initially released on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Social Media Criticism and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, audiences online criticized the employment of AI in the film. Several described it as "uncanny" and "poorly edited".
"This experience serves as an valuable learning as we examine the effective utilization of AI," said a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was created for McDonald's by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It showed a series of things that often go badly over the holidays, with the slogan "the most terrible time of the year".
The Trend of AI in Advertising
Adverts that incorporate generative AI have emerged as a growing phenomenon among major corporations, particularly for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has similarly launched back-to-back AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Because videos created using current AI video tools are prone to become unstable the longer they run, most such clips tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also provoked concerns about job displacement in the creative sector, with some observers noting it could affect work for actors.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
She stated, the production process took "over a month and a half" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then edited afterward "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "The result was a proper commercial."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's ad was predominantly criticized, the response for other AI-assisted campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas spot from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a significant "favorable response" from the public.
However, several companies have also faced backlash for employing the technique in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics called "cheap" and "disturbing".
The situation underscores the evolving debate within the advertising and production industries about the balance between new tools and human craftsmanship.
