McDonald's has taken down a Christmas advert produced using Artificial Intelligence after facing widespread criticism on social media.
The short film was produced with the help of AI video tools and was initially uploaded publicly for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Audience Response and Removal
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media denounced the use of AI in the advert. A number of labeled it "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This moment represents an key lesson as we examine the effective application of generative technology," said a spokesperson from the company.
The commercial was created for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It showed a series of scenarios that might go awry during the Christmas break, with the tagline "the worst time of the year".
The Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Campaigns that feature generative AI have become a rising phenomenon among major corporations, notably for the holiday season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly launched consecutive AI-created Christmas ads.
- Technical Challenges: Since clips created with generative AI are more likely to degrade the longer they run, most such clips tend to be about short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also provoked worries about the replacement of human roles in the advertising industry, with some observers stating it might affect work for actors.
Response from the Creators
After the video's removal, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
She stated, the development required "seven weeks" and involved creating "numerous versions" which were then shaped in post-production "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an experiment," Bridge asserted. "It was a finished piece."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was largely criticized, the sentiment for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a significant "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, several companies have also encountered backlash for employing the technique in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some called "lazy" and "disturbing".
The episode highlights the continuing debate within the marketing and creative sectors about the trade-off between AI efficiency and audience reception.
