The global fast-food chain has removed a holiday advertisement created using AI following facing widespread criticism on social media.
The 45-second spot was produced via generative AI clips and was originally released publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Social Media Reaction and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, audiences online lambasted the implementation of AI in the advert. Several called it "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This experience is an key lesson as we examine the appropriate use of Artificial Intelligence," said a representative from the company.
The commercial was created for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of things that often go badly over the Christmas break, using the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI Commercials
Commercials that feature AI-created content have emerged as a growing phenomenon among large brands, notably for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has also released consecutive AI-generated Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: As videos produced using current AI video tools are susceptible to degrade the longer they run, most such clips tend to be roughly a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised fears about the replacement of human roles in the advertising industry, with some observers stating it could negatively impact opportunities for actors.
Defense from the Creators
Following the video's removal, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
Bridge claimed, the creation took "seven weeks" and involved generating "numerous versions" which were then shaped during the edit "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an experiment," she commented. "The result was a film."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the response for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday ad from another major brand reportedly garnered a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, several companies have likewise received criticism for employing AI in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics described as "cheap" and "uncanny".
The situation highlights the ongoing discussion within the marketing and creative industries about the balance between new tools and human craftsmanship.
