The global fast-food chain has removed a holiday commercial made with Artificial Intelligence following receiving considerable online backlash.
The 45-second ad was created using AI video tools and was originally uploaded online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Response and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media lambasted the implementation of AI in the advert. Several called it "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This experience represents an important learning as we explore the proper use of generative technology," stated a representative from the company.
The advert was created for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It showed various scenarios that might go awry over the holidays, with the theme "the worst time of the year".
The Trend of AI Commercials
Adverts that feature AI tools have emerged as a growing trend among major brands, particularly for the Christmas period.
- Coca-Cola has recently launched back-to-back AI-generated holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Since videos made with generative AI are more likely to distort the more extended they are, the majority of such clips tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also raised fears about automation in the creative sector, with some observers stating it could affect work for camera crews.
Response from the Production Company
After the video's removal, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
Bridge claimed, the creation required "seven weeks" and involved creating "thousands of takes" which were then crafted afterward "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an AI gimmick," Bridge asserted. "It was a film."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the sentiment for some AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday ad from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a significant "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, various brands have also received scrutiny for using the technique in marketing. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that some called "cheap" and "uncanny".
The situation illustrates the ongoing conversation within the marketing and production sectors about the trade-off between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
