The global fast-food chain has pulled a Christmas advertisement made using Artificial Intelligence following receiving considerable criticism on social media.
The short ad was produced with the help of AI-generated video and was first published on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Social Media Response and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, commenters lambasted the use of AI in the film. Several described it as "uncanny" and "jarringly assembled".
"This moment is an important learning as we investigate the effective application of Artificial Intelligence," said a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was developed for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various things that can go wrong over the Christmas break, under the theme "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI-Generated Ads
Adverts that incorporate generative AI have become a growing phenomenon among large companies, notably for the holiday period.
- Another beverage giant has similarly launched consecutive AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: As clips created with current AI video tools are prone to distort the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also sparked concerns about the replacement of human roles in the creative industry, with some commenters pointing out it might reduce opportunities for production staff.
Defense from the Creators
Following the video's removal, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
She stated, the creation required "over a month and a half" and involved creating "thousands of takes" which were then shaped in post-production "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an AI gimmick," she said. "We consider it a finished piece."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the response for some AI-assisted campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis garnered a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, several companies have also faced backlash for using AI in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics called "lazy" and "disturbing".
The situation underscores the ongoing discussion within the marketing and production industries about the trade-off between new tools and audience reception.
