The global fast-food chain has pulled a Christmas advertisement created with Artificial Intelligence following facing significant criticism on social media.
The 45-second ad was produced with the help of AI-generated video and was first published online for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Audience Response and Removal
Following its publication, viewers on social media lambasted the employment of AI in the advert. Several described it as "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This moment represents an key learning as we explore the proper utilization of AI," commented a spokesperson from the company.
The advert was developed for McDonald's by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed various situations that often go badly over the holidays, under the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI Commercials
Commercials that include AI tools have become a increasing trend among major corporations, especially for the holiday period.
- Coca-Cola has also launched back-to-back AI-created Christmas ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Because clips produced using current AI video tools are prone to distort the longer they run, the majority of such clips tend to be roughly six to 10 seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also provoked fears about automation in the creative industry, with some observers noting it could affect opportunities for camera crews.
Response from the Production Company
After the commercial being pulled, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
Bridge claimed, the creation took "seven weeks" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then edited in post-production "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an AI gimmick," she said. "The result was a proper commercial."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the response for other AI-assisted campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas spot from another major brand reportedly garnered a significant "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, several companies have also encountered backlash for employing AI in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that some described as "lazy" and "uncanny".
The episode illustrates the ongoing conversation within the advertising and production industries about the balance between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
