The global fast-food chain has taken down a holiday advertisement created with AI following encountering widespread criticism on social media.
The brief film was created via generative AI clips and was originally uploaded publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, audiences online criticized the use of AI in the advert. A number of labeled it "uncanny" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience represents an important learning as we explore the appropriate application of AI," commented a spokesperson from the company.
The advert was developed for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of things that might go awry during the holidays, under the theme "the most terrible time of the year".
The Trend of AI Commercials
Campaigns that include generative AI have become a rising phenomenon among large brands, notably for the holiday season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly released consecutive AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: As clips made using generative AI are more likely to become unstable the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly short in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also raised fears about automation in the advertising industry, with some observers stating it might affect opportunities for actors.
Response from the Production Company
After the video's removal, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
According to her, the creation required "seven weeks" and involved generating "countless iterations" which were then shaped during the edit "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This was not an AI gimmick," she said. "The result was a finished piece."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was mostly criticized, the sentiment for some AI-generated campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday spot from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a 61% "positive feedback" from the public.
However, several companies have also faced backlash for employing AI in marketing. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics described as "lazy" and "disturbing".
The incident underscores the evolving conversation within the marketing and creative industries about the trade-off between AI efficiency and audience reception.
