McDonald's has pulled a Christmas advertisement made with AI following encountering significant online backlash.
The short spot was produced with the help of generative AI clips and was first uploaded publicly for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Removal
Following its publication, audiences online lambasted the use of AI in the film. A number of labeled it "uncanny" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident is an key learning as we investigate the appropriate use of Artificial Intelligence," commented a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was produced for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of situations that often go badly during the holidays, under the theme "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI in Advertising
Commercials that include AI tools have emerged as a rising phenomenon among large companies, notably for the Christmas season.
- Another beverage giant has similarly launched consecutive AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Technical Challenges: As videos produced with generative AI are prone to distort the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be only short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also raised concerns about automation in the advertising industry, with some commenters stating it could affect opportunities for production staff.
Response from the Production Company
After the ad being taken down, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
Bridge claimed, the production process required "seven weeks" and involved generating "countless iterations" which were then edited in post-production "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "It was a film."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was predominantly criticized, the sentiment for other AI-assisted campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday spot from another major brand according to analysis achieved a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have also encountered criticism for using the technique in marketing. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics described as "lazy" and "uncanny".
The incident illustrates the continuing debate within the advertising and creative sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
