The global fast-food chain has pulled a Christmas advert made with AI following receiving considerable public disapproval.
The short film was created with the help of AI video tools and was originally uploaded publicly for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Social Media Reaction and Removal
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media lambasted the employment of AI in the film. Several labeled it "uncanny" and "poorly edited".
"This moment represents an valuable learning as we examine the appropriate use of Artificial Intelligence," commented a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of situations that might go awry during the Christmas break, with the theme "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI-Generated Ads
Adverts that incorporate AI-created content have become a rising phenomenon among prominent brands, notably for the holiday season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly launched consecutive AI-created holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: As videos made using generative AI are susceptible to degrade the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be only short in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also sparked fears about the replacement of human roles in the creative sector, with some critics noting it might negatively impact opportunities for actors.
Response from the Production Company
After the ad being taken down, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
Bridge claimed, the development took "seven weeks" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then shaped afterward "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an experiment," she commented. "The result was a film."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's ad was largely panned, the sentiment for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday ad from Coca-Cola reportedly garnered a 61% "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, various brands have likewise received scrutiny for using the technique in marketing. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics described as "cheap" and "uncanny".
The episode highlights the continuing discussion within the advertising and creative industries about the balance between AI efficiency and audience reception.
