McDonald's has taken down a holiday advert produced with Artificial Intelligence following encountering considerable public disapproval.
The short ad was developed via AI-generated video and was first uploaded online for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Viewer Reaction and Removal
Shortly after its release, audiences online denounced the employment of AI in the advert. Many described it as "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This moment serves as an valuable learning as we investigate the proper application of generative technology," commented a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was produced for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of situations that can go wrong over the Christmas break, with the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI-Generated Ads
Campaigns that include generative AI have become a rising phenomenon among prominent companies, especially for the holiday campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has also released consecutive AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: As clips made with generative AI are more likely to degrade the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be roughly short in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also provoked fears about the replacement of human roles in the advertising industry, with some commenters stating it might affect work for camera crews.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
Bridge claimed, the development required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then shaped afterward "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an experiment," she said. "We consider it a finished piece."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was largely criticized, the response for other AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday ad from another major brand according to analysis garnered a 61% "favorable response" from the public.
However, various brands have also received scrutiny for employing the technique in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that some described as "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The episode underscores the ongoing debate within the advertising and production sectors about the balance between new tools and audience reception.
