The global fast-food chain has removed a Christmas advert created with generative AI after receiving significant online backlash.
The 45-second ad was produced via generative AI clips and was initially published on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Reaction and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, audiences online criticized the use of AI in the advert. Many described it as "uncanny" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This moment serves as an key learning as we examine the appropriate utilization of AI," commented a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of scenarios that can go wrong over the holidays, with the slogan "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI-Generated Ads
Campaigns that incorporate AI-created content have become a increasing phenomenon among major companies, especially for the holiday season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly released back-to-back AI-created Christmas ads.
- Technical Challenges: As clips made using generative AI are more likely to distort the longer they run, most such clips tend to be roughly a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also sparked fears about the replacement of human roles in the advertising industry, with some observers noting it might reduce work for camera crews.
Defense from the Creators
After the video's removal, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
She stated, the development took "seven weeks" and involved creating "numerous versions" which were then edited during the edit "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an AI gimmick," she commented. "It was a proper commercial."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was predominantly criticized, the sentiment for some AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday spot from another major brand reportedly garnered a significant "favorable response" from the public.
However, other businesses have likewise encountered scrutiny for using the technique in advertising. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics called "cheap" and "uncanny".
The episode illustrates the evolving conversation within the advertising and creative sectors about the trade-off between new tools and human craftsmanship.
