McDonald's has taken down a Christmas advertisement produced using generative AI after facing widespread online backlash.
The short film was developed via AI-generated video and was originally published online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media criticized the implementation of AI in the advert. Several called it "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident is an important learning as we examine the effective use of Artificial Intelligence," commented a spokesperson from the company.
The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of scenarios that might go awry over the Christmas break, with the theme "the most terrible time of the year".
The Trend of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that include AI-created content have become a rising phenomenon among large corporations, particularly for the holiday campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has also launched consecutive AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Since videos produced using generative AI are more likely to degrade the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be only six to 10 seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked worries about automation in the creative sector, with some critics stating it might negatively impact opportunities for camera crews.
Response from the Creators
Following the video's removal, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
She stated, the development took "over a month and a half" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then edited in post-production "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "The result was a proper commercial."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was predominantly panned, the response for some AI-generated campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday spot from another major brand according to analysis achieved a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from the public.
However, various brands have likewise faced backlash for employing the technique in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics described as "lazy" and "uncanny".
The incident underscores the ongoing discussion within the marketing and creative sectors about the balance between AI efficiency and creative integrity.
