The global fast-food chain has taken down a holiday advertisement made with AI after receiving widespread online backlash.
The brief film was created via AI video tools and was first released online for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Removal
Shortly after its release, audiences online denounced the use of AI in the advert. A number of labeled it "uncanny" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident represents an key lesson as we examine the appropriate utilization of AI," commented a representative from the company.
The advert was produced for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed various situations that might go awry over the holidays, under the theme "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Campaigns that incorporate AI tools have emerged as a rising trend among large brands, particularly for the Christmas campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has recently launched back-to-back AI-created holiday commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: As segments produced with current AI video tools are more likely to distort the more extended they are, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be about six to 10 seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also sparked concerns about job displacement in the advertising sector, with some observers pointing out it could affect opportunities for camera crews.
Defense from the Creators
After the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
Bridge claimed, the creation took "over a month and a half" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then edited in post-production "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This was not an AI gimmick," she said. "The result was a proper commercial."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was largely criticized, the response for some AI-generated campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas spot from another major brand according to analysis garnered a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, several companies have also received scrutiny for employing the technique in marketing. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics called "lazy" and "disturbing".
The situation underscores the continuing debate within the marketing and creative sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
