The global fast-food chain has pulled a Christmas commercial produced with generative AI after facing considerable criticism on social media.
The brief spot was developed with the help of AI video tools and was originally released publicly for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Social Media Criticism and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, audiences online lambasted the employment of AI in the advert. Many labeled it "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This experience is an key lesson as we investigate the effective application of generative technology," said a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was developed for McDonald's by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of scenarios that can go wrong during the Christmas break, under the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Trend of AI Commercials
Campaigns that include generative AI have become a growing trend among prominent brands, especially for the Christmas campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has also launched consecutive AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Technical Challenges: Since clips created with current AI video tools are prone to distort the more extended they are, most such clips tend to be about short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also sparked fears about job displacement in the creative industry, with some observers noting it might reduce work for camera crews.
Defense from the Production Company
After the video's removal, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
According to her, the creation required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then edited afterward "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This was not an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "The result was a proper commercial."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was predominantly panned, the sentiment for some AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis achieved a significant "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have likewise received criticism for employing the technique in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics called "cheap" and "uncanny".
The incident highlights the ongoing discussion within the marketing and production sectors about the balance between new tools and audience reception.
