The global fast-food chain has pulled a Christmas advert made via Artificial Intelligence following receiving considerable criticism on social media.
The brief film was produced using AI video tools and was initially uploaded online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Removal
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media lambasted the implementation of AI in the film. Many described it as "uncanny" and "poorly edited".
"This experience is an valuable lesson as we investigate the proper use of Artificial Intelligence," commented a statement from the company.
The advert was created for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It depicted various things that might go awry during the holidays, using the theme "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI-Generated Ads
Campaigns that include generative AI have become a growing phenomenon among large companies, especially for the holiday season.
- Coca-Cola has also released back-to-back AI-created holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Since clips produced with current AI video tools are susceptible to degrade the longer they run, most such clips tend to be only short in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also raised worries about the replacement of human roles in the creative industry, with some critics stating it could affect work for actors.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the video's removal, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
She stated, the production process required "over a month and a half" and involved generating "numerous versions" which were then edited during the edit "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an experiment," she said. "It was a proper commercial."
Mixed Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was mostly panned, the response for other AI-generated holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas ad from another major brand reportedly garnered a significant "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, several companies have likewise received criticism for employing the technique in their campaigns. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics called "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The incident illustrates the ongoing conversation within the advertising and creative sectors about the trade-off between new tools and audience reception.
