The global fast-food chain has removed a Christmas advertisement created with Artificial Intelligence following encountering significant criticism on social media.
The 45-second ad was produced using generative AI clips and was first released online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Removal
Soon after it aired, viewers on social media criticized the implementation of AI in the commercial. Several labeled it "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This experience is an key lesson as we examine the appropriate utilization of generative technology," stated a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was developed for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of scenarios that often go badly during the holidays, under the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Campaigns that feature AI tools have emerged as a rising phenomenon among prominent brands, particularly for the Christmas period.
- Coca-Cola has recently released back-to-back AI-created holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: As clips made with generative AI are prone to distort the longer they run, most such clips tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked concerns about job displacement in the production sector, with some commenters pointing out it could negatively impact opportunities for production staff.
Defense from the Creators
After the video's removal, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
She stated, the creation required "over a month and a half" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then shaped in post-production "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This was not an AI gimmick," Bridge asserted. "The result was a film."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was mostly panned, the response for some AI-generated holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated Christmas ad from Coca-Cola reportedly received a significant "positive sentiment rating" from the public.
However, other businesses have also encountered scrutiny for using the technique in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that some called "lazy" and "disturbing".
The incident underscores the evolving discussion within the advertising and creative industries about the balance between AI efficiency and audience reception.
