McDonald's has removed a holiday advert created with AI following facing significant public disapproval.
The brief film was created using AI video tools and was first published online for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, viewers on social media criticized the employment of AI in the film. Several described it as "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".
"This incident is an key lesson as we explore the proper application of AI," commented a spokesperson from the company.
The commercial was developed for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of things that might go awry during the Christmas break, using the tagline "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI Commercials
Commercials that incorporate generative AI have become a rising phenomenon among large corporations, particularly for the Christmas season.
- Another beverage giant has similarly launched back-to-back AI-generated Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Because segments created with generative AI are susceptible to degrade the more extended they are, the majority of such clips tend to be only six to 10 seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also provoked concerns about automation in the creative industry, with some critics pointing out it could negatively impact work for camera crews.
Response from the Creators
Following the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
Bridge claimed, the production process required "seven weeks" and involved generating "numerous versions" which were then crafted in post-production "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an AI gimmick," she said. "The result was a finished piece."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's ad was largely panned, the response for some AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a 61% "positive feedback" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have also encountered backlash for using AI in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that some called "cheap" and "uncanny".
The episode illustrates the evolving conversation within the marketing and creative sectors about the trade-off between new tools and audience reception.
