The global fast-food chain has removed a holiday commercial made with AI following facing widespread online backlash.
The 45-second ad was developed with the help of generative AI clips and was initially uploaded online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Social Media Response and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, commenters lambasted the implementation of AI in the advert. A number of described it as "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This moment represents an important learning as we explore the effective application of Artificial Intelligence," said a representative from the company.
The commercial was developed for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed various scenarios that might go awry during the holidays, under the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI Commercials
Campaigns that feature AI tools have emerged as a increasing trend among large companies, especially for the holiday campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has recently released consecutive AI-created holiday commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Because clips produced with current AI video tools are prone to distort the longer they run, the majority of such clips tend to be about short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also provoked concerns about automation in the advertising sector, with some critics pointing out it could reduce opportunities for production staff.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the video's removal, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
According to her, the production process required "seven weeks" and involved producing "thousands of takes" which were then shaped during the edit "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an experiment," she commented. "The result was a proper commercial."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was largely panned, the sentiment for other AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas ad from Coca-Cola reportedly garnered a significant "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, various brands have likewise received backlash for employing the technique in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some called "lazy" and "uncanny".
The situation illustrates the continuing conversation within the marketing and creative industries about the balance between AI efficiency and creative integrity.
