The global fast-food chain has removed a Christmas advert produced via generative AI following facing significant public disapproval.
The 45-second film was produced with the help of AI video tools and was first published publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Removal
Following its publication, audiences online lambasted the implementation of AI in the advert. A number of labeled it "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This moment represents an key learning as we examine the effective utilization of Artificial Intelligence," commented a statement from the company.
The commercial was created for the brand by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It showed various scenarios that often go badly over the Christmas break, using the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Trend of AI in Advertising
Commercials that include AI-created content have emerged as a rising phenomenon among prominent brands, especially for the holiday campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has similarly released consecutive AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Because videos created using current AI video tools are susceptible to become unstable the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be roughly six to 10 seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also sparked worries about the replacement of human roles in the production sector, with some commenters stating it might affect opportunities for actors.
Defense from the Creators
Following the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
She stated, the production process took "over a month and a half" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then crafted during the edit "just as we would on any standard production".
"This was not an experiment," she said. "The result was a film."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was mostly criticized, the reception for other AI-generated holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday ad from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have also faced criticism for using AI in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some described as "cheap" and "disturbing".
The episode underscores the ongoing discussion within the marketing and creative industries about the trade-off between technological innovation and audience reception.
