The global fast-food chain has taken down a holiday commercial produced via Artificial Intelligence after facing considerable public disapproval.
The 45-second ad was developed using generative AI clips and was initially uploaded on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Audience Reaction and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, viewers on social media denounced the use of AI in the advert. Many labeled it "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident is an valuable lesson as we investigate the appropriate application of generative technology," commented a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of things that can go wrong over the festive season, under the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI Commercials
Campaigns that feature AI-created content have become a rising phenomenon among large companies, especially for the holiday period.
- Coca-Cola has recently released consecutive AI-created holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: Since segments produced using current AI video tools are prone to degrade the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be about six to 10 seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also provoked concerns about automation in the creative industry, with some commenters noting it might reduce work for camera crews.
Defense from the Creators
After the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
According to her, the creation took "over a month and a half" and involved creating "thousands of takes" which were then edited in post-production "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This was not an experiment," Bridge asserted. "The result was a proper commercial."
Mixed Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was largely panned, the reception for some AI-generated holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated Christmas spot from Coca-Cola reportedly garnered a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, several companies have also received backlash for employing the technique in their campaigns. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics called "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The incident highlights the ongoing debate within the advertising and production sectors about the balance between new tools and audience reception.
