The global fast-food chain has pulled a holiday commercial created via Artificial Intelligence after encountering significant online backlash.
The short ad was developed with the help of generative AI clips and was first uploaded publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Social Media Reaction and Removal
Soon after it aired, viewers on social media criticized the use of AI in the advert. Several labeled it "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".
"This moment is an important learning as we explore the effective use of generative technology," stated a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was created for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed various scenarios that might go awry during the holidays, with the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Movement of AI in Advertising
Adverts that incorporate AI tools have become a increasing trend among prominent corporations, particularly for the holiday campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has also launched back-to-back AI-created holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Since clips produced using current AI video tools are susceptible to degrade the longer they run, most such clips tend to be roughly a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised fears about automation in the creative industry, with some critics stating it could negatively impact opportunities for camera crews.
Response from the Production Company
After the video's removal, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
Bridge claimed, the creation took "over a month and a half" and involved creating "thousands of takes" which were then crafted in post-production "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't just an experiment," she commented. "It was a proper commercial."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was largely criticized, the response for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday spot from another major brand reportedly achieved a 61% "favorable response" from the public.
However, various brands have also received backlash for employing the technique in their campaigns. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some described as "cheap" and "uncanny".
The incident highlights the ongoing discussion within the marketing and production industries about the trade-off between new tools and audience reception.
