McDonald's has taken down a holiday advert made using AI following facing significant public disapproval.
The brief ad was created with the help of AI video tools and was initially published publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Removal
Soon after it aired, audiences online criticized the employment of AI in the film. A number of labeled it "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident serves as an valuable learning as we investigate the appropriate utilization of AI," 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 depicted various situations that can go wrong over the holidays, with the theme "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI Commercials
Adverts that feature AI tools have become a increasing trend among prominent brands, notably for the Christmas campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has similarly released consecutive AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Since videos created using current AI video tools are susceptible to become unstable the more extended they are, most such clips tend to be roughly six to 10 seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also sparked concerns about job displacement in the advertising sector, with some observers stating it could reduce work for camera crews.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
Bridge claimed, the creation took "over a month and a half" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then shaped in post-production "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an AI gimmick," Bridge asserted. "The result was a proper commercial."
Mixed Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was mostly panned, the reception for other AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas ad from another major brand according to analysis received a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from the public.
However, various brands have likewise received backlash for using the technique in marketing. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics called "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The episode highlights the evolving debate within the advertising and creative industries about the balance between technological innovation and creative integrity.
