McDonald's has pulled a holiday advertisement made with generative AI following receiving considerable public disapproval.
The 45-second spot was developed via AI-generated video and was first published on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Social Media Response and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, commenters criticized the employment of AI in the film. A number of labeled it "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This experience represents an key learning as we investigate the appropriate utilization of Artificial Intelligence," commented a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of scenarios that often go badly during the festive season, using the theme "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Campaigns that include AI-created content have become a rising trend among large companies, notably for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has similarly launched back-to-back AI-created Christmas ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Since videos created with current AI video tools are more likely to degrade the longer they run, the majority of such clips tend to be roughly six to 10 seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked worries about the replacement of human roles in the creative sector, with some observers noting it might affect work for actors.
Response from the Creators
Following the video's removal, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
According to her, the creation required "seven weeks" and involved producing "numerous versions" which were then edited during the edit "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This was not an AI gimmick," she commented. "We consider it a proper commercial."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was largely criticized, the sentiment for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday spot from Coca-Cola reportedly garnered a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, several companies have also faced criticism for employing AI in advertising. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics described as "cheap" and "disturbing".
The episode underscores the evolving discussion within the advertising and production sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and creative integrity.
