McDonald's has removed a Christmas advertisement produced using AI following facing considerable criticism on social media.
The 45-second film was developed with the help of generative AI clips and was initially uploaded publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Social Media Reaction and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, viewers on social media lambasted the use of AI in the commercial. Several labeled it "uncanny" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident serves as an valuable lesson as we examine the effective utilization of Artificial Intelligence," said a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was created for McDonald's by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed various things that often go badly during the Christmas break, using the theme "the worst time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Commercials that feature AI tools have become a growing phenomenon among major corporations, notably for the holiday period.
- Coca-Cola has also launched back-to-back AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Technical Challenges: Because videos produced using generative AI are susceptible to become unstable the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also raised worries about the replacement of human roles in the advertising industry, with some critics noting it could negatively impact work for camera crews.
Defense from the Creators
Following the commercial being pulled, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
According to her, the creation required "seven weeks" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then crafted in post-production "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an AI gimmick," Bridge asserted. "The result was a finished piece."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was mostly panned, the reception for other AI-generated campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas ad from another major brand according to analysis garnered a significant "positive feedback" from viewers.
However, several companies have likewise faced backlash for employing AI in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that some described as "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The incident underscores the evolving conversation within the advertising and production industries about the balance between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
