The global fast-food chain has removed a Christmas advert made via AI following encountering significant criticism on social media.
The brief spot was created using AI video tools and was originally published publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, commenters criticized the employment of AI in the commercial. A number of called it "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident represents an important learning as we explore the appropriate utilization of generative technology," said a spokesperson from the company.
The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of things that can go wrong during the holidays, using the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Trend of AI-Generated Ads
Commercials that incorporate generative AI have emerged as a rising phenomenon among large corporations, particularly for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has also launched consecutive AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Because videos created with generative AI are susceptible to distort the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be only short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also sparked fears about automation in the advertising sector, with some observers stating it might affect opportunities for production staff.
Response from the Creators
Following the video's removal, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
She stated, the creation took "seven weeks" and involved creating "numerous versions" which were then edited during the edit "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This was not an experiment," she said. "It was a film."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the response for some AI-generated campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas ad from another major brand according to analysis received a 61% "favorable response" from the public.
However, other businesses have also received criticism for using AI in advertising. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics called "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The situation illustrates the continuing conversation within the marketing and production industries about the balance between technological innovation and creative integrity.
