The global fast-food chain has pulled a Christmas commercial made via Artificial Intelligence after facing considerable criticism on social media.
The 45-second ad was created using AI-generated video and was initially published online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Removal
Following its publication, viewers on social media denounced the use of AI in the advert. A number of called it "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience serves as an valuable learning as we explore the appropriate use of Artificial Intelligence," stated a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was created for McDonald's by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of scenarios that might go awry over the festive season, with the slogan "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI in Advertising
Adverts that include AI tools have become a rising trend among large brands, especially for the Christmas season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly released consecutive AI-generated holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: As videos produced with generative AI are susceptible to degrade the longer they run, the majority of such clips tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also sparked fears about the replacement of human roles in the creative industry, with some commenters noting it might negatively impact opportunities for production staff.
Response from the Production Company
After the ad being taken down, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
According to her, the production process took "seven weeks" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then crafted afterward "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," she commented. "We consider it a film."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was mostly panned, the reception for some AI-generated campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday spot from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a 61% "positive feedback" from the public.
However, various brands have also encountered scrutiny for employing the technique in advertising. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that some called "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The incident underscores the evolving conversation within the advertising and production industries about the trade-off between new tools and creative integrity.
