The global fast-food chain has taken down a holiday commercial produced with Artificial Intelligence after facing considerable public disapproval.
The short ad was produced with the help of AI-generated video and was initially released online for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Audience Reaction and Removal
Shortly after its release, audiences online criticized the employment of AI in the advert. Several labeled it "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This incident serves as an key lesson as we explore the proper utilization of Artificial Intelligence," said a statement from the company.
The commercial was developed for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of situations that might go awry during the Christmas break, using the theme "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI in Advertising
Commercials that include generative AI have emerged as a rising trend among large companies, especially for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has also launched consecutive AI-created Christmas ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Because clips made with current AI video tools are susceptible to degrade the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be roughly a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also provoked fears about job displacement in the creative industry, with some observers noting it could affect opportunities for production staff.
Response from the Production Company
Following the ad being taken down, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
According to her, the creation required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then shaped during the edit "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an experiment," she said. "It was a finished piece."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's ad was predominantly criticized, the response for some AI-generated campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday ad from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, various brands have also encountered scrutiny for using AI in their campaigns. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that some called "lazy" and "uncanny".
The episode underscores the evolving conversation within the marketing and creative sectors about the trade-off between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
