McDonald's has taken down a holiday commercial made via AI following receiving considerable criticism on social media.
The brief ad was produced via AI video tools and was originally published online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Social Media Reaction and Removal
Following its publication, audiences online lambasted the employment of AI in the commercial. A number of labeled it "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".
"This moment serves as an valuable lesson as we explore the proper application of generative technology," said a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was produced for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It depicted various scenarios that can go wrong over the holidays, under the theme "the most terrible time of the year".
The Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Commercials that include AI tools have emerged as a growing trend among prominent brands, particularly for the Christmas campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has also launched consecutive AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Because clips created using generative AI are prone to become unstable the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also sparked worries about automation in the production industry, with some commenters noting it could affect work for camera crews.
Defense from the Creators
After the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
Bridge claimed, the creation took "seven weeks" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then crafted in post-production "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This was not an experiment," she said. "We consider it a film."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was largely criticized, the response for some AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday spot from another major brand reportedly received a 61% "favorable response" from viewers.
However, other businesses have also encountered scrutiny for using AI in advertising. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that some called "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The situation underscores the continuing conversation within the advertising and creative sectors about the balance between technological innovation and audience reception.
