McDonald's has removed a holiday commercial created via Artificial Intelligence following encountering widespread public disapproval.
The 45-second ad was created via AI-generated video and was first published on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Social Media Criticism and Removal
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media criticized the employment of AI in the film. A number of described it as "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".
"This incident represents an important learning as we explore the effective use of AI," commented a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was developed for McDonald's by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of situations that might go awry during the festive season, using the theme "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI in Advertising
Adverts that include AI tools have emerged as a increasing trend among prominent brands, notably for the holiday season.
- Coca-Cola has recently launched back-to-back AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Since segments created with generative AI are prone to degrade the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also sparked concerns about job displacement in the production industry, with some observers noting it might negatively impact work for camera crews.
Response from the Creators
After the ad being taken down, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
She stated, the production process required "over a month and a half" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then crafted afterward "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't just an AI gimmick," she said. "It was a film."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the sentiment for other AI-generated campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis garnered a 61% "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have likewise encountered criticism for employing AI in marketing. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics called "cheap" and "disturbing".
The episode underscores the ongoing conversation within the advertising and creative industries about the balance between new tools and creative integrity.
