The global fast-food chain has taken down a holiday advert made using AI following encountering significant public disapproval.
The brief ad was produced via AI-generated video and was originally released publicly for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Social Media Criticism and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, commenters denounced the implementation of AI in the film. A number of described it as "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This experience serves as an important learning as we investigate the effective utilization of generative technology," commented a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was created for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of scenarios that can go wrong over the Christmas break, with the tagline "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Adverts that incorporate generative AI have emerged as a rising trend among prominent corporations, notably for the holiday season.
- Another beverage giant has recently launched consecutive AI-generated holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: Because videos created using current AI video tools are susceptible to distort the longer they run, most such clips tend to be roughly short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised fears about automation in the creative industry, with some commenters noting it could reduce work for camera crews.
Defense from the Creators
Following the video's removal, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
She stated, the creation took "seven weeks" and involved creating "numerous versions" which were then shaped afterward "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This was not an experiment," she said. "It was a proper commercial."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was largely panned, the sentiment for other AI-generated holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday spot from another major brand according to analysis received a significant "positive sentiment rating" from the public.
However, other businesses have likewise received backlash for employing AI in their campaigns. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics called "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The situation underscores the continuing debate within the advertising and production industries about the balance between AI efficiency and audience reception.