McDonald's has taken down a holiday advert created via Artificial Intelligence following facing considerable online backlash.
The short film was created using AI-generated video and was initially released online for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, viewers on social media denounced the use of AI in the film. A number of called it "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This experience represents an important learning as we examine the proper use of Artificial Intelligence," said a spokesperson from the company.
The commercial was created for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of scenarios that often go badly over the Christmas break, under the slogan "the most terrible time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that feature generative AI have emerged as a increasing phenomenon among large companies, particularly for the holiday period.
- Coca-Cola has similarly launched back-to-back AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Because videos produced with generative AI are prone to distort the longer they run, most such clips tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also raised fears about the replacement of human roles in the creative sector, with some observers stating it could negatively impact opportunities for production staff.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
Bridge claimed, the production process took "over a month and a half" and involved creating "thousands of takes" which were then shaped during the edit "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't just an experiment," she said. "The result was a finished piece."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's ad was predominantly criticized, the sentiment for some AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday ad from another major brand according to analysis received a significant "positive feedback" from viewers.
However, several companies have also received scrutiny for employing AI in marketing. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics described as "cheap" and "disturbing".
The situation highlights the evolving conversation within the advertising and creative sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
