The global fast-food chain has taken down a holiday advert made using AI after facing significant public disapproval.
The short spot was developed using AI video tools and was first released on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Removal
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media lambasted the implementation of AI in the advert. Many called it "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience is an key lesson as we examine the proper utilization of Artificial Intelligence," commented a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was created for the brand by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various situations that might go awry during the festive season, with the theme "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI Commercials
Adverts that include AI-created content have emerged as a increasing trend among major brands, notably for the holiday period.
- Another beverage giant has also launched consecutive AI-created holiday commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: As clips produced using current AI video tools are susceptible to become unstable the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked concerns about automation in the production industry, with some commenters pointing out it could reduce work for actors.
Response from the Creators
Following the commercial being pulled, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
She stated, the development took "over a month and a half" and involved generating "countless iterations" which were then crafted during the edit "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an experiment," Bridge asserted. "It was a proper commercial."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was predominantly criticized, the sentiment for other AI-assisted campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated Christmas spot from another major brand according to analysis received a significant "positive sentiment rating" from the public.
However, various brands have also encountered backlash for using the technique in marketing. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that some called "cheap" and "disturbing".
The incident underscores the continuing discussion within the advertising and production industries about the balance between new tools and creative integrity.
