The global fast-food chain has taken down a holiday advert created with generative AI following encountering significant public disapproval.
The 45-second spot was produced via AI-generated video and was initially uploaded publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Reaction and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, commenters criticized the employment of AI in the film. A number of described it as "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This moment serves as an key learning as we explore the appropriate use of AI," commented a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was created for McDonald's by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It showed a series of things that might go awry during the holidays, with the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI Commercials
Adverts that feature AI tools have become a increasing trend among prominent brands, especially for the holiday season.
- Another beverage giant has similarly launched consecutive AI-created Christmas ads.
- Inherent Limitations: As clips made with current AI video tools are prone to become unstable the longer they run, the majority of such clips tend to be about six to 10 seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also sparked fears about the replacement of human roles in the creative sector, with some critics noting it could affect work for camera crews.
Response from the Creators
After the commercial being pulled, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
She stated, the creation required "seven weeks" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then crafted in post-production "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," she commented. "The result was a film."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was largely panned, the response for some AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday ad from Coca-Cola reportedly garnered a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have likewise received backlash for using AI in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that some described as "cheap" and "disturbing".
The episode underscores the evolving debate within the advertising and creative sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
