McDonald's has removed a Christmas advertisement created with AI following facing significant public disapproval.
The 45-second film was produced with the help of AI video tools and was first published on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, audiences online lambasted the employment of AI in the advert. Many labeled it "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This experience serves as an key lesson as we examine the effective use of generative technology," said a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was developed for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It showed a series of things that often go badly during the Christmas break, with the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Movement of AI Commercials
Campaigns that incorporate AI-created content have emerged as a rising trend among large companies, notably for the holiday period.
- Coca-Cola has recently released consecutive AI-created holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Since segments made using current AI video tools are susceptible to become unstable the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also raised worries about job displacement in the production sector, with some commenters noting it might negatively impact opportunities for production staff.
Response from the Production Company
Following the video's removal, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
According to her, the production process took "over a month and a half" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then shaped in post-production "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an experiment," Bridge asserted. "It was a film."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was mostly panned, the reception for other AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday ad from another major brand reportedly garnered a significant "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, several companies have likewise encountered criticism for employing the technique in marketing. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics called "cheap" and "uncanny".
The episode illustrates the continuing debate within the advertising and creative industries about the balance between new tools and human craftsmanship.
