McDonald's has removed a Christmas advertisement produced using Artificial Intelligence following receiving significant criticism on social media.
The short spot was produced with the help of AI video tools and was initially published online for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, viewers on social media criticized the use of AI in the commercial. Many described it as "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled".
"This incident represents an key lesson as we explore the appropriate use of generative technology," stated a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It showed a series of situations that often go badly over the Christmas break, under the theme "the worst time of the year".
The Trend of AI Commercials
Campaigns that incorporate generative AI have become a increasing phenomenon among prominent corporations, particularly for the Christmas season.
- Coca-Cola has recently launched consecutive AI-created holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Because videos produced using current AI video tools are susceptible to become unstable the longer they run, the majority of such clips tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised worries about the replacement of human roles in the advertising industry, with some commenters stating it could affect opportunities for production staff.
Response from the Production Company
After the video's removal, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
She stated, the creation took "seven weeks" and involved generating "countless iterations" which were then shaped during the edit "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an experiment," she commented. "We consider it a film."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was mostly panned, the response for some AI-generated campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday spot from another major brand according to analysis received a significant "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, various brands have likewise received scrutiny for using AI in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics described as "cheap" and "disturbing".
The episode underscores the continuing debate within the marketing and production sectors about the trade-off between AI efficiency and creative integrity.
