McDonald's has taken down a Christmas advertisement produced using AI after encountering significant criticism on social media.
The 45-second ad was created using generative AI clips and was initially uploaded publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Reaction and Removal
Shortly after its release, audiences online criticized the use of AI in the commercial. Many labeled it "uncanny" and "poorly edited".
"This incident serves as an key learning as we investigate the effective application of Artificial Intelligence," said a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was produced for the brand by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of scenarios that can go wrong over the Christmas break, under the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI Commercials
Commercials that include AI-created content have emerged as a growing phenomenon among prominent brands, notably for the Christmas period.
- Coca-Cola has similarly released back-to-back AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Since segments created with generative AI are prone to become unstable the more extended they are, most such clips tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also provoked fears about automation in the production sector, with some observers noting it could reduce opportunities for production staff.
Defense from the Creators
Following the ad being taken down, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
She stated, the creation took "seven weeks" and involved generating "countless iterations" which were then crafted in post-production "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," she said. "We consider it a proper commercial."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was largely panned, the response for other AI-generated holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated Christmas spot from another major brand according to analysis garnered a 61% "favorable response" from the public.
However, other businesses have also received criticism for employing the technique in marketing. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics described as "cheap" and "uncanny".
The episode highlights the evolving debate within the advertising and creative sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and audience reception.
