The global fast-food chain has taken down a holiday advertisement produced using AI after facing considerable criticism on social media.
The brief film was created via AI-generated video and was originally released online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Response and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, commenters lambasted the implementation of AI in the commercial. Many described it as "uncanny" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This experience serves as an important learning as we investigate the appropriate utilization of Artificial Intelligence," said a statement from the company.
The advert was produced for the brand by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It showed various things that might go awry over the festive season, with the slogan "the worst time of the year".
The Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Campaigns that include generative AI have emerged as a rising trend among large brands, notably for the holiday campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has also launched consecutive AI-created holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Since videos produced with generative AI are susceptible to distort the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be only short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also sparked worries about automation in the creative sector, with some commenters noting it might affect opportunities for production staff.
Defense from the Production Company
After the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
She stated, the creation took "over a month and a half" and involved generating "numerous versions" which were then crafted during the edit "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an experiment," she said. "The result was a film."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was predominantly panned, the sentiment for some AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas ad from Coca-Cola reportedly received a 61% "favorable response" from viewers.
However, other businesses have likewise faced criticism for employing the technique in advertising. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics called "cheap" and "uncanny".
The situation illustrates the ongoing discussion within the marketing and production industries about the balance between technological innovation and creative integrity.
