The global fast-food chain has pulled a Christmas advert created using generative AI after encountering significant criticism on social media.
The brief film was produced via generative AI clips and was originally published on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Social Media Response and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, commenters denounced the use of AI in the commercial. A number of described it as "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This moment represents an key learning as we investigate the proper application of AI," stated a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was created for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various scenarios that might go awry over the festive season, using the tagline "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI in Advertising
Commercials that feature generative AI have emerged as a growing trend among major corporations, especially for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has similarly released consecutive AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Since clips made with current AI video tools are more likely to become unstable the more extended they are, the majority of such clips tend to be roughly short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised concerns about job displacement in the creative sector, with some observers noting it might negatively impact opportunities for production staff.
Response from the Creators
After the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
Bridge claimed, the development required "over a month and a half" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then edited in post-production "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an AI gimmick," she commented. "We consider it a proper commercial."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was largely criticized, the reception for some AI-assisted campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday ad from Coca-Cola reportedly received a 61% "favorable response" from the public.
However, other businesses have also encountered backlash for using the technique in marketing. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics called "cheap" and "uncanny".
The incident underscores the evolving discussion within the advertising and production sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and audience reception.
