The global fast-food chain has pulled a holiday commercial made with Artificial Intelligence after encountering considerable online backlash.
The 45-second spot was produced via AI-generated video and was originally published online for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Audience Reaction and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media lambasted the implementation of AI in the film. Many called it "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This moment represents an important learning as we investigate the effective use of generative technology," said a statement from the company.
The advert was developed for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of things that might go awry over the Christmas break, under the slogan "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI-Generated Ads
Commercials that include AI tools have become a increasing phenomenon among prominent corporations, notably for the Christmas season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly launched consecutive AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Technical Challenges: Because clips produced with current AI video tools are susceptible to become unstable the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be only six to 10 seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked concerns about job displacement in the advertising sector, with some critics stating it might reduce work for camera crews.
Response from the Creators
Following the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
Bridge claimed, the development took "seven weeks" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then shaped in post-production "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This was not an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "We consider it a film."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was mostly panned, the response for other AI-assisted campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, several companies have also faced criticism for employing the technique in marketing. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics described as "cheap" and "uncanny".
The episode underscores the ongoing debate within the advertising and production industries about the trade-off between new tools and human craftsmanship.
