The global fast-food chain has removed a holiday advert made with generative AI following receiving considerable public disapproval.
The 45-second film was produced via AI-generated video and was originally released online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, audiences online denounced the implementation of AI in the film. Several called it "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident serves as an valuable learning as we explore the appropriate utilization of generative technology," said a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various scenarios that can go wrong during the Christmas break, with the theme "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI-Generated Ads
Campaigns that incorporate AI-created content have emerged as a growing trend among major brands, especially for the Christmas period.
- Coca-Cola has also launched consecutive AI-created holiday commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Since segments created with generative AI are more likely to degrade the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked concerns about the replacement of human roles in the advertising sector, with some critics noting it might affect opportunities for camera crews.
Response from the Production Company
After the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
She stated, the creation took "over a month and a half" and involved creating "thousands of takes" which were then crafted afterward "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This was not an AI gimmick," Bridge asserted. "We consider it a proper commercial."
Mixed Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was predominantly criticized, the reception for some AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a 61% "positive feedback" from online commenters.
However, several companies have also encountered criticism for employing the technique in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics called "lazy" and "uncanny".
The episode underscores the evolving discussion within the advertising and production sectors about the trade-off between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
