The global fast-food chain has removed a Christmas advertisement made via AI after receiving significant online backlash.
The short ad was created using AI-generated video and was originally released publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Reaction and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, commenters criticized the use of AI in the advert. Many described it as "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident represents an important lesson as we explore the effective utilization of AI," commented a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was created for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It showed various situations that often go badly over the holidays, under the tagline "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that incorporate AI-created content have become a increasing trend among prominent corporations, especially for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has similarly launched consecutive AI-created holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: As clips created with generative AI are susceptible to degrade the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly short in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also raised worries about automation in the creative industry, with some commenters pointing out it might reduce work for production staff.
Response from the Creators
Following the video's removal, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
Bridge claimed, the creation required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "numerous versions" which were then shaped during the edit "just as we would on any standard production".
"This was not an AI gimmick," she commented. "The result was a finished piece."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was largely criticized, the reception for other AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis achieved a significant "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
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 called "lazy" and "disturbing".
The incident illustrates the ongoing conversation within the advertising and production industries about the trade-off between AI efficiency and audience reception.
