The global fast-food chain has taken down a Christmas commercial created with Artificial Intelligence following receiving considerable public disapproval.
The 45-second spot was created with the help of AI video tools and was initially published on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, commenters lambasted the use of AI in the film. Several labeled it "uncanny" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This moment serves as an important learning as we examine the effective use of Artificial Intelligence," stated a spokesperson from the company.
The advert was developed for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of scenarios that can go wrong over the Christmas break, under the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that feature generative AI have emerged as a rising phenomenon among major brands, particularly for the holiday season.
- Coca-Cola has also released back-to-back AI-created Christmas ads.
- Technical Challenges: Because clips produced using generative AI are more likely to become unstable the more extended they are, most such clips tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked fears about automation in the creative sector, with some critics noting it might negatively impact work for production staff.
Response from the Production Company
Following the ad being taken down, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
Bridge claimed, the creation took "seven weeks" and involved generating "numerous versions" which were then edited during the edit "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an AI gimmick," she said. "The result was a finished piece."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's ad was predominantly panned, the response for some AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas ad from another major brand according to analysis received a significant "positive feedback" from viewers.
However, various brands have also encountered backlash for using the technique in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics described as "lazy" and "disturbing".
The situation illustrates the evolving conversation within the advertising and creative industries about the trade-off between AI efficiency and creative integrity.
