The global fast-food chain has removed a Christmas commercial produced with generative AI following receiving significant criticism on social media.
The 45-second film was developed with the help of AI-generated video and was first uploaded on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, commenters lambasted the use of AI in the film. Many labeled it "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This incident represents an important lesson as we investigate the appropriate use of Artificial Intelligence," said a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was created for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various scenarios that often go badly during the holidays, under the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
The Trend of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that feature AI tools have become a growing trend among major corporations, especially for the Christmas season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly released back-to-back AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: As segments created using current AI video tools are prone to become unstable the longer they run, most such clips tend to be about short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also sparked worries about automation in the production industry, with some observers stating it could affect work for camera crews.
Response from the Creators
After the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
She stated, the creation took "seven weeks" and involved generating "countless iterations" which were then crafted afterward "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an AI gimmick," she said. "It was a film."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was largely criticized, the sentiment for other AI-generated holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis achieved a 61% "positive feedback" from viewers.
However, several companies have likewise faced scrutiny for using the technique in advertising. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics called "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The situation underscores the evolving debate within the marketing and production industries about the balance between technological innovation and creative integrity.
