McDonald's has removed a Christmas advert created with AI following facing widespread public disapproval.
The brief ad was produced with the help of generative AI clips and was first released publicly for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, audiences online lambasted the employment of AI in the advert. A number of called it "uncanny" and "jarringly assembled".
"This incident is an valuable learning as we explore the proper application of Artificial Intelligence," said a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was developed for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed various scenarios that can go wrong over the holidays, using the tagline "the worst time of the year".
The Movement of AI Commercials
Campaigns that feature AI-created content have emerged as a growing trend among prominent companies, particularly for the Christmas campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has similarly launched consecutive AI-generated holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: As clips made using current AI video tools are susceptible to distort the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be about short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also provoked concerns about automation in the advertising industry, with some critics noting it might reduce work for actors.
Response from the Creators
After the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
She stated, the creation required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "thousands of takes" which were then shaped during the edit "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't an experiment," Bridge asserted. "The result was a film."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's ad was mostly criticized, the response for other AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday spot from another major brand reportedly received a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from the public.
However, several companies have likewise received criticism for employing the technique in marketing. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that some called "cheap" and "uncanny".
The incident highlights the evolving debate within the marketing and creative industries about the balance between technological innovation and audience reception.