The global fast-food chain has taken down a holiday advertisement produced with generative AI following receiving considerable online backlash.
The brief film was produced with the help of AI video tools and was first released on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Social Media Response and Removal
Soon after it aired, audiences online denounced the implementation of AI in the commercial. Several described it as "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled".
"This moment serves as an valuable learning as we explore the proper utilization of generative technology," said a representative from the company.
The commercial was developed for McDonald's by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It depicted various things that might go awry during the Christmas break, under the slogan "the worst time of the year".
The Movement of AI in Advertising
Adverts that incorporate generative AI have emerged as a rising phenomenon among large corporations, especially for the holiday campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly launched back-to-back AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: As clips made with current AI video tools are susceptible to become unstable the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be roughly a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also provoked concerns about job displacement in the creative industry, with some commenters stating it might affect opportunities for actors.
Response from the Production Company
After the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
She stated, the production process required "over a month and a half" and involved generating "countless iterations" which were then edited afterward "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't just an AI gimmick," she said. "The result was a proper commercial."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was predominantly panned, the sentiment for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday ad from Coca-Cola reportedly received a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, various brands have also faced criticism for using the technique in marketing. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics called "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The incident illustrates the ongoing debate within the marketing and creative industries about the trade-off between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
