The global fast-food chain has removed a Christmas advertisement made using AI following receiving significant criticism on social media.
The 45-second spot was produced via AI video tools and was originally released on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, viewers on social media denounced the implementation of AI in the film. A number of called it "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".
"This moment serves as an valuable lesson as we investigate the appropriate application of Artificial Intelligence," stated a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It depicted various things that often go badly during the holidays, using the theme "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI in Advertising
Adverts that include AI-created content have become a growing phenomenon among large corporations, especially for the Christmas campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has recently released consecutive AI-created Christmas ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Since segments produced using current AI video tools are more likely to degrade the longer they run, most such clips tend to be roughly a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also raised worries about automation in the creative industry, with some critics stating it might negatively impact opportunities for camera crews.
Defense from the Creators
After the ad being taken down, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
She stated, the production process took "seven weeks" and involved generating "numerous versions" which were then shaped in post-production "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "The result was a film."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was mostly panned, the sentiment for other AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday ad from another major brand according to analysis achieved a significant "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, other businesses have likewise encountered criticism for employing AI in advertising. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some called "lazy" and "uncanny".
The incident underscores the ongoing discussion within the marketing and production industries about the balance between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
