The global fast-food chain has removed a Christmas advert created via Artificial Intelligence following facing significant criticism on social media.
The brief ad was produced using generative AI clips and was initially released on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Removal
Shortly after its release, audiences online lambasted the employment of AI in the commercial. Many described it as "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This incident represents an important learning as we explore the proper application of AI," stated a spokesperson from the company.
The commercial was developed for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of situations that might go awry over the Christmas break, under the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Movement of AI Commercials
Adverts that incorporate generative AI have emerged as a growing phenomenon among prominent brands, especially for the holiday campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has recently released back-to-back AI-generated holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: As videos produced using current AI video tools are prone to become unstable the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly six to 10 seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also provoked concerns about job displacement in the creative industry, with some commenters pointing out it might affect work for production staff.
Response from the Production Company
Following the video's removal, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
She stated, the production process required "seven weeks" and involved producing "thousands of takes" which were then crafted in post-production "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This was not an experiment," she said. "We consider it a film."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was largely criticized, the response for other AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday spot from Coca-Cola reportedly received a 61% "positive feedback" from the public.
However, other businesses have also encountered scrutiny for using the technique in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics described as "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The incident highlights the ongoing debate within the marketing and production sectors about the balance between new tools and audience reception.
