The global fast-food chain has removed a holiday commercial created with AI after facing considerable online backlash.
The short ad was developed with the help of AI-generated video and was first released online for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Social Media Reaction and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, commenters criticized the implementation of AI in the commercial. A number of called it "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".
"This moment is an important learning as we investigate the effective use of Artificial Intelligence," said a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was created for the brand by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It depicted various situations that might go awry over the holidays, using the slogan "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI Commercials
Campaigns that include AI-created content have emerged as a rising trend among major corporations, notably for the holiday season.
- Another beverage giant has similarly released back-to-back AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: As videos created using generative AI are prone to become unstable the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be about six to 10 seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also sparked fears about automation in the advertising sector, with some critics pointing out it might reduce work for actors.
Response from the Creators
After the video's removal, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
Bridge claimed, the development required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then shaped afterward "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," she said. "It was a finished piece."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was predominantly panned, the response for other AI-generated holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday ad from Coca-Cola reportedly garnered a 61% "favorable response" from the public.
However, several companies have likewise encountered backlash for employing the technique in advertising. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics described as "cheap" and "disturbing".
The episode illustrates the ongoing debate within the advertising and creative industries about the balance between new tools and audience reception.
