The global fast-food chain has pulled a Christmas advertisement produced with generative AI following receiving significant public disapproval.
The brief ad was produced using generative AI clips and was first released on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Social Media Reaction and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, commenters denounced the employment of AI in the film. Many labeled it "uncanny" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This moment serves as an key lesson as we investigate the proper use of Artificial Intelligence," stated a representative from the company.
The advert was created for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various things that might go awry during the festive season, with the theme "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Adverts that incorporate AI-created content have become a growing trend among major corporations, particularly for the holiday season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly released consecutive AI-created holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: Because segments created with generative AI are susceptible to degrade the longer they run, most such clips tend to be roughly a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also raised worries about job displacement in the advertising industry, with some observers pointing out it could negatively impact opportunities for camera crews.
Defense from the Production Company
After the video's removal, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
Bridge claimed, the creation required "seven weeks" and involved generating "countless iterations" which were then shaped during the edit "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an AI gimmick," she commented. "The result was a proper commercial."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was predominantly panned, the reception for other AI-generated holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday ad from another major brand according to analysis achieved a significant "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, several companies have also encountered backlash for using AI in marketing. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that some called "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The episode illustrates the ongoing conversation within the advertising and creative sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and audience reception.
