McDonald's has pulled a holiday advertisement produced using Artificial Intelligence following encountering significant public disapproval.
The short spot was produced with the help of generative AI clips and was originally published on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, audiences online criticized the employment of AI in the film. A number of described it as "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This moment represents an valuable learning as we examine the appropriate utilization of generative technology," commented a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was created for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of scenarios that can go wrong during the Christmas break, with the slogan "the worst time of the year".
The Movement of AI Commercials
Commercials that incorporate AI-created content have become a rising phenomenon among major companies, especially for the Christmas season.
- Coca-Cola has recently launched back-to-back AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Because clips produced using generative AI are susceptible to become unstable the longer they run, most such clips tend to be roughly short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also sparked fears about the replacement of human roles in the production sector, with some critics noting it could reduce work for production staff.
Response from the Creators
Following the commercial being pulled, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
She stated, the production process required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "numerous versions" which were then crafted afterward "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an experiment," she commented. "The result was a film."
Mixed Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was largely panned, the reception for some AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas ad from another major brand reportedly achieved a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, several companies have also received criticism for using the technique in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics described as "cheap" and "disturbing".
The episode highlights the evolving discussion within the advertising and production industries about the trade-off between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
