The global fast-food chain has pulled a holiday advert created via Artificial Intelligence following facing considerable public disapproval.
The short film was produced using AI video tools and was first published online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Viewer Reaction and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, commenters lambasted the use of AI in the film. A number of described it as "uncanny" and "poorly edited".
"This moment serves as an key learning as we examine the appropriate utilization of AI," stated a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was created for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed various scenarios that often go badly over the Christmas break, with the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI in Advertising
Adverts that feature AI-created content have emerged as a growing phenomenon among prominent companies, particularly for the holiday season.
- Coca-Cola has also launched back-to-back AI-generated holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Since segments produced using generative AI are prone to distort the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be roughly short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked worries about automation in the creative sector, with some observers pointing out it could affect opportunities for camera crews.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
She stated, the creation took "seven weeks" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then edited during the edit "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "We consider it a film."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was predominantly panned, the sentiment for other AI-assisted campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday spot from another major brand reportedly garnered a 61% "favorable response" from the public.
However, several companies have also received criticism for using AI in advertising. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some described as "lazy" and "disturbing".
The episode highlights the evolving debate within the advertising and production sectors about the trade-off between AI efficiency and creative integrity.
