The global fast-food chain has removed a holiday advert made via AI after encountering considerable criticism on social media.
The 45-second ad was created using generative AI clips and was originally released publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Reaction and Removal
Following its publication, audiences online criticized the employment of AI in the film. Several called it "uncanny" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This experience is an key lesson as we examine the proper utilization of generative technology," said a representative from the company.
The advert was produced for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It depicted various things that can go wrong over the holidays, under the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Adverts that incorporate AI tools have become a rising phenomenon among large companies, especially for the holiday period.
- Another beverage giant has also launched consecutive AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Technical Challenges: As videos produced with generative AI are more likely to become unstable the longer they run, the majority of such clips tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked concerns about the replacement of human roles in the advertising industry, with some observers stating it could negatively impact opportunities for production staff.
Defense from the Creators
Following the commercial being pulled, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
She stated, the development took "over a month and a half" and involved generating "countless iterations" which were then crafted afterward "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't just an experiment," she commented. "It was a proper commercial."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was largely criticized, the reception for other AI-generated campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, other businesses have likewise received criticism for employing the technique in advertising. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some described as "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The incident illustrates the ongoing debate within the marketing and production sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and audience reception.
