The global fast-food chain has pulled a Christmas commercial created with AI after facing widespread criticism on social media.
The brief ad was developed with the help of AI video tools and was initially published publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Audience Reaction and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, commenters criticized the employment of AI in the advert. A number of labeled it "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled".
"This moment serves as an key learning as we investigate the effective application of AI," said a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was produced for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various things that often go badly during the Christmas break, with the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI-Generated Ads
Adverts that incorporate AI-created content have become a growing trend among prominent companies, notably for the holiday campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has similarly launched consecutive AI-generated holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: Since clips produced using current AI video tools are more likely to degrade the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised worries about job displacement in the creative industry, with some observers pointing out it could reduce opportunities for camera crews.
Response from the Production Company
Following the ad being taken down, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
According to her, the creation took "seven weeks" and involved producing "numerous versions" which were then edited during the edit "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," she said. "The result was a proper commercial."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was largely panned, the reception for other AI-generated campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas ad from Coca-Cola reportedly garnered a significant "favorable response" from viewers.
However, other businesses have also received backlash for employing the technique in advertising. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that some called "lazy" and "disturbing".
The episode highlights the ongoing debate within the marketing and creative sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and audience reception.
