McDonald's has pulled a Christmas advert made with generative AI after facing considerable criticism on social media.
The short film was created with the help of AI video tools and was initially published on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Removal
Following its publication, audiences online lambasted the use of AI in the advert. A number of labeled it "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident represents an valuable learning as we investigate the effective use of generative technology," commented a statement from the company.
The advert was produced for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed various scenarios that can go wrong over the Christmas break, under the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI Commercials
Commercials that feature AI-created content have become a growing phenomenon among prominent companies, notably for the holiday season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly launched back-to-back AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Because clips produced with generative AI are susceptible to distort the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be only six to 10 seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also sparked concerns about the replacement of human roles in the creative industry, with some commenters noting it might reduce work for actors.
Defense from the Production Company
After the ad being taken down, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
According to her, the production process required "seven weeks" and involved producing "thousands of takes" which were then edited afterward "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This was not an experiment," Bridge asserted. "We consider it a finished piece."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was predominantly criticized, the response for other AI-generated holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas spot from another major brand according to analysis achieved a 61% "positive feedback" from the public.
However, several companies have also encountered backlash for employing AI in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some called "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The incident illustrates the continuing discussion within the advertising and production sectors about the trade-off between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
