The global fast-food chain has taken down a Christmas commercial created using generative AI following facing considerable online backlash.
The brief spot was created with the help of AI video tools and was initially published on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Reaction and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, commenters lambasted the use of AI in the advert. Many labeled it "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This moment represents an valuable learning as we examine the proper application of AI," stated a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was produced for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of scenarios that can go wrong over the Christmas break, under the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Adverts that incorporate generative AI have become a growing phenomenon among prominent brands, notably for the holiday period.
- Coca-Cola has also released back-to-back AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Since clips created with generative AI are prone to distort the more extended they are, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also provoked fears about automation in the production industry, with some commenters noting it might negatively impact work for production staff.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
Bridge claimed, the production process required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "numerous versions" which were then edited during the edit "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't just an experiment," she said. "We consider it a proper commercial."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was largely criticized, the response for other AI-assisted campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas ad from another major brand reportedly received a significant "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, various brands have also encountered backlash for using the technique in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics called "cheap" and "disturbing".
The incident underscores the continuing discussion within the advertising and production sectors about the trade-off between new tools and audience reception.
