The global fast-food chain has taken down a Christmas commercial created with AI after receiving widespread online backlash.
The brief ad was developed using generative AI clips and was originally released online for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Social Media Response and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, commenters criticized the implementation of AI in the advert. Several described it as "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This moment represents an valuable learning as we explore the proper application of Artificial Intelligence," commented a representative from the company.
The commercial was produced for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of things that can go wrong during the holidays, with the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI Commercials
Adverts that include AI-created content have emerged as a growing phenomenon among major corporations, notably for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has recently released back-to-back AI-created holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: As videos produced with current AI video tools are susceptible to distort the more extended they are, most such clips tend to be roughly short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also provoked fears about automation in the creative sector, with some observers pointing out it could affect work for production staff.
Response from the Creators
After the video's removal, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
According to her, the creation required "seven weeks" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then edited afterward "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an experiment," she commented. "We consider it a finished piece."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was largely criticized, the sentiment for some AI-generated campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday spot from another major brand according to analysis garnered a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, other businesses have also encountered scrutiny for employing AI in marketing. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that some described as "lazy" and "uncanny".
The episode highlights the evolving debate within the marketing and creative sectors about the balance between new tools and audience reception.
