McDonald's has taken down a Christmas advertisement created using AI after encountering widespread online backlash.
The brief ad was developed using generative AI clips and was originally released on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Social Media Response and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, audiences online lambasted the implementation of AI in the commercial. A number of called it "uncanny" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This experience represents an important learning as we investigate the effective use of generative technology," stated a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was developed for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It depicted various things that can go wrong during the Christmas break, with the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Commercials that incorporate AI tools have become a growing phenomenon among large brands, especially for the holiday period.
- Coca-Cola has recently launched consecutive AI-created holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: As clips produced with current AI video tools are prone to degrade the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be roughly a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also provoked fears about the replacement of human roles in the production industry, with some critics noting it might negatively impact opportunities for camera crews.
Response from the Production Company
Following the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
According to her, the development required "over a month and a half" and involved creating "numerous versions" which were then edited afterward "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't just an AI gimmick," Bridge asserted. "It was a film."
Mixed Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was largely panned, the sentiment for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, various brands have also faced backlash for employing AI in marketing. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics called "lazy" and "disturbing".
The episode illustrates the evolving discussion within the marketing and production industries about the trade-off between technological innovation and creative integrity.
