The global fast-food chain has pulled a Christmas advert created with AI after receiving widespread online backlash.
The brief spot was produced with the help of AI video tools and was originally published on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Social Media Reaction and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, viewers on social media criticized the implementation of AI in the advert. Several described it as "uncanny" and "jarringly assembled".
"This incident serves as an valuable lesson as we investigate the effective application of generative technology," commented a representative from the company.
The commercial was developed for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It showed a series of things that often go badly over the festive season, under the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI-Generated Ads
Commercials that feature AI-created content have become a rising trend among large corporations, notably for the holiday period.
- Another beverage giant has similarly launched consecutive AI-created holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: As clips created using current AI video tools are susceptible to degrade the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be about short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised concerns about job displacement in the creative industry, with some critics pointing out it could affect work for actors.
Response from the Creators
Following the video's removal, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
Bridge claimed, the development took "seven weeks" and involved generating "countless iterations" which were then crafted in post-production "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't just an AI gimmick," she said. "It was a finished piece."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was predominantly criticized, the sentiment for other AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday ad from another major brand reportedly garnered a significant "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, several companies have also encountered scrutiny for using the technique in marketing. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics described as "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The situation highlights the ongoing conversation within the advertising and creative industries about the balance between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
