The global fast-food chain has removed a Christmas advert created with AI following facing widespread online backlash.
The brief spot was created using generative AI clips and was first released on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, audiences online lambasted the employment of AI in the commercial. Several called it "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This moment serves as an key learning as we investigate the proper application of AI," said a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was produced for McDonald's by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It depicted various scenarios that often go badly during the Christmas break, under the theme "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI-Generated Ads
Adverts that incorporate generative AI have become a rising phenomenon among prominent brands, notably for the holiday campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has recently released consecutive AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Since clips created using generative AI are susceptible to degrade the longer they run, most such clips tend to be roughly six to 10 seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also provoked concerns about job displacement in the advertising sector, with some observers noting it might affect opportunities for actors.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
Bridge claimed, the development took "over a month and a half" and involved creating "numerous versions" which were then crafted afterward "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't just an experiment," Bridge asserted. "The result was a proper commercial."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's ad was largely criticized, the response for other AI-generated holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas ad from another major brand reportedly received a significant "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have also received scrutiny for employing the technique in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that some described as "cheap" and "disturbing".
The episode highlights the ongoing discussion within the marketing and production industries about the trade-off between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.