The global fast-food chain has removed a Christmas commercial produced via generative AI after encountering considerable public disapproval.
The short ad was produced using AI video tools and was initially released on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Audience Reaction and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media denounced the employment of AI in the film. A number of called it "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".
"This moment is an valuable lesson as we examine the appropriate use of Artificial Intelligence," stated a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was created for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It showed various situations that might go awry during the holidays, under the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that feature generative AI have emerged as a increasing phenomenon among prominent companies, particularly for the holiday campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly released back-to-back AI-created Christmas ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Because videos produced with generative AI are more likely to become unstable the longer they run, most such clips tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also provoked worries about automation in the advertising sector, with some critics stating it might affect work for actors.
Defense from the Creators
After the commercial being pulled, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
She stated, the production process took "over a month and a half" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then shaped in post-production "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," she commented. "The result was a proper commercial."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was predominantly criticized, the sentiment for other AI-generated holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas spot from another major brand reportedly garnered a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have likewise encountered criticism for employing the technique in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics described as "lazy" and "disturbing".
The situation highlights the ongoing conversation within the advertising and production industries about the trade-off between new tools and human craftsmanship.
