McDonald's has removed a holiday advertisement made via Artificial Intelligence following encountering considerable public disapproval.
The brief film was produced with the help of generative AI clips and was originally published on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media lambasted the implementation of AI in the commercial. Several described it as "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This moment represents an key lesson as we investigate the appropriate utilization of AI," commented a representative from the company.
The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of scenarios that can go wrong over the holidays, with the slogan "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI Commercials
Commercials that incorporate AI-created content have become a increasing trend among major corporations, notably for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has also launched consecutive AI-created holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Because clips made using generative AI are more likely to degrade the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be roughly short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also provoked concerns about automation in the advertising sector, with some critics stating it could reduce opportunities for production staff.
Response from the Creators
Following the video's removal, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
Bridge claimed, the creation required "seven weeks" and involved creating "thousands of takes" which were then edited afterward "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't an experiment," Bridge asserted. "It was a proper commercial."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was largely criticized, the response for some AI-generated holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday ad from another major brand according to analysis received a 61% "positive feedback" from viewers.
However, other businesses have likewise received scrutiny for using the technique in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics called "cheap" and "disturbing".
The episode highlights the ongoing conversation within the marketing and production sectors about the balance between technological innovation and audience reception.
