The global fast-food chain has pulled a Christmas advertisement created via Artificial Intelligence following receiving widespread online backlash.
The 45-second spot was developed with the help of AI-generated video and was initially released publicly for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Viewer Reaction and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, commenters denounced the employment of AI in the commercial. Several called it "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This moment represents an valuable learning as we explore the proper utilization of Artificial Intelligence," said a spokesperson from the company.
The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of situations that can go wrong during the festive season, under the theme "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Adverts that feature generative AI have emerged as a growing phenomenon among major brands, notably for the Christmas period.
- Coca-Cola has recently released consecutive AI-created holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: Because segments created with generative AI are susceptible to distort the longer they run, most such clips tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also sparked concerns about job displacement in the production industry, with some commenters pointing out it might affect work for actors.
Response from the Creators
Following the video's removal, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
According to her, the development took "over a month and a half" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then shaped in post-production "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an experiment," Bridge asserted. "The result was a film."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was largely criticized, the response for some AI-assisted campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis garnered a 61% "positive feedback" from viewers.
However, other businesses have also faced criticism for employing the technique in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that some described as "lazy" and "disturbing".
The episode underscores the evolving debate within the marketing and production sectors about the balance between AI efficiency and creative integrity.
