The global fast-food chain has pulled a holiday advertisement created with generative AI after receiving considerable online backlash.
The short film was produced with the help of AI-generated video and was first released on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, commenters lambasted the implementation of AI in the film. Many called it "uncanny" and "poorly edited".
"This incident represents an key learning as we explore the effective application of Artificial Intelligence," commented a spokesperson from the company.
The commercial was developed for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed various things that can go wrong over the Christmas break, with the theme "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI-Generated Ads
Campaigns that include generative AI have become a growing trend among prominent corporations, notably for the holiday period.
- Coca-Cola has also released consecutive AI-created holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Since videos made using current AI video tools are susceptible to become unstable the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also sparked fears about job displacement in the advertising industry, with some commenters pointing out it could affect opportunities for production staff.
Response from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
She stated, the development required "seven weeks" and involved creating "thousands of takes" which were then shaped afterward "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't just an AI gimmick," she commented. "It was a film."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was mostly criticized, the reception for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas ad from another major brand reportedly garnered a significant "favorable response" from the public.
However, other businesses have also faced criticism for employing the technique in advertising. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics called "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The episode illustrates the evolving conversation within the advertising and production industries about the trade-off between new tools and audience reception.
