The global fast-food chain has taken down a Christmas commercial created using AI following encountering significant criticism on social media.
The short ad was created using AI video tools and was initially uploaded online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Social Media Criticism and Removal
Following its publication, audiences online lambasted the employment of AI in the advert. A number of labeled it "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled".
"This incident is an valuable lesson as we explore the proper use of Artificial Intelligence," said a spokesperson from the company.
The commercial was created for McDonald's by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of situations that can go wrong during the holidays, under the slogan "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that include generative AI have emerged as a increasing trend among large brands, notably for the holiday campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has also released back-to-back AI-generated holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: As videos created with generative AI are more likely to degrade the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also sparked concerns about job displacement in the advertising sector, with some critics noting it could reduce work for camera crews.
Response from the Production Company
Following the video's removal, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
Bridge claimed, the production process required "seven weeks" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then edited during the edit "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't just an experiment," Bridge asserted. "We consider it a proper commercial."
Mixed Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was predominantly panned, the reception for other AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated Christmas ad from another major brand reportedly achieved a significant "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have also received criticism for employing the technique in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics called "cheap" and "disturbing".
The situation highlights the continuing debate within the marketing and production industries about the trade-off between new tools and creative integrity.
