McDonald's has removed a holiday advert produced via generative AI following facing widespread online backlash.
The brief film was created using AI video tools and was first published publicly for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, audiences online denounced the implementation of AI in the commercial. Several called it "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This experience serves as an valuable lesson as we examine the appropriate use of Artificial Intelligence," commented a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was produced for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It showed various things that often go badly over the holidays, with the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI-Generated Ads
Adverts that incorporate AI-created content have emerged as a growing phenomenon among prominent corporations, particularly for the holiday season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly launched consecutive AI-created holiday commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: As segments produced using generative AI are prone to degrade the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be only short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised concerns about the replacement of human roles in the creative industry, with some commenters stating it might affect work for production staff.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
She stated, the creation required "seven weeks" and involved creating "numerous versions" which were then edited afterward "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't just an experiment," she said. "It was a finished piece."
Mixed Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was largely panned, the sentiment for some AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a significant "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, several companies have also received scrutiny for employing the technique in advertising. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics called "lazy" and "uncanny".
The situation highlights the evolving discussion within the marketing and creative industries about the trade-off between new tools and human craftsmanship.
