McDonald's has pulled a holiday commercial created using AI after encountering considerable criticism on social media.
The short film was produced using generative AI clips and was initially published on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Reaction and Removal
Shortly after its release, audiences online criticized the implementation of AI in the commercial. Many called it "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled".
"This incident is an key lesson as we investigate the proper use of generative technology," stated a representative from the company.
The advert was developed for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of scenarios that can go wrong over the festive season, under the theme "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI Commercials
Adverts that feature AI-created content have emerged as a increasing trend among major companies, notably for the holiday period.
- Another beverage giant has also released consecutive AI-generated Christmas commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: As videos produced using generative AI are susceptible to distort the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be only six to 10 seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also raised fears about automation in the advertising industry, with some critics pointing out it might affect opportunities for production staff.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the ad being taken down, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
She stated, the development required "over a month and a half" and involved creating "numerous versions" which were then edited in post-production "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an experiment," she said. "The result was a proper commercial."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was largely panned, the response for other AI-generated campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas spot from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a significant "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, several companies have also received scrutiny for using AI in marketing. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics called "cheap" and "disturbing".
The incident illustrates the ongoing conversation within the marketing and creative industries about the trade-off between AI efficiency and creative integrity.
