The global fast-food chain has pulled a Christmas commercial created using AI after facing widespread criticism on social media.
The brief ad was developed with the help of AI-generated video and was initially released on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Audience Response and Removal
Shortly after its release, commenters lambasted the implementation of AI in the commercial. Several labeled it "uncanny" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This moment is an important lesson as we explore the proper utilization of generative technology," stated a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was developed for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of situations that might go awry during the Christmas break, using the slogan "the worst time of the year".
The Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Adverts that feature AI-created content have become a growing phenomenon among prominent companies, notably for the Christmas campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has also launched consecutive AI-generated holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: As clips created using current AI video tools are susceptible to degrade the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be about short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised fears about job displacement in the advertising sector, with some commenters noting it could negatively impact opportunities for actors.
Response from the Creators
Following the ad being taken down, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
According to her, the development required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then crafted afterward "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an experiment," Bridge asserted. "It was a film."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was predominantly panned, the reception for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas spot from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have likewise received criticism for using the technique in marketing. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics called "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The episode illustrates the continuing debate within the advertising and production sectors about the trade-off between new tools and creative integrity.
