McDonald's has pulled a Christmas advert made via AI after encountering significant public disapproval.
The short ad was developed using generative AI clips and was originally uploaded on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Removal
Following its publication, audiences online lambasted the employment of AI in the film. Several described it as "uncanny" and "poorly edited".
"This experience represents an important lesson as we investigate the appropriate application of AI," said a statement from the company.
The commercial was produced for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of situations that might go awry over the festive season, under the slogan "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Adverts that incorporate AI tools have become a growing phenomenon among large brands, particularly for the holiday campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has also released back-to-back AI-generated holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: As segments produced using current AI video tools are prone to distort the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be only short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked concerns about job displacement in the creative sector, with some observers pointing out it could negatively impact work for actors.
Response from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
She stated, the development took "seven weeks" and involved generating "countless iterations" which were then shaped during the edit "just as we would on any standard production".
"This was not an experiment," she said. "We consider it a film."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was predominantly panned, the sentiment for other AI-assisted campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday ad from another major brand according to analysis achieved a significant "positive feedback" from viewers.
However, other businesses have also received criticism for using AI in marketing. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some described as "lazy" and "uncanny".
The situation underscores the continuing debate within the marketing and creative industries about the balance between AI efficiency and creative integrity.
