McDonald's has pulled a holiday advertisement created with AI after receiving significant online backlash.
The 45-second spot was produced with the help of AI video tools and was initially released online for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Audience Reaction and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, commenters denounced the employment of AI in the commercial. A number of described it as "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This incident serves as an important lesson as we investigate the effective application of generative technology," said a statement from the company.
The commercial was developed for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It depicted various scenarios that can go wrong over the holidays, using the theme "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Commercials that feature AI tools have emerged as a rising trend among major brands, especially for the Christmas season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly released back-to-back AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: As clips created with current AI video tools are prone to become unstable the more extended they are, most such clips tend to be roughly a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also raised fears about the replacement of human roles in the creative sector, with some commenters pointing out it might negatively impact opportunities for camera crews.
Response from the Creators
Following the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
Bridge claimed, the development took "over a month and a half" and involved producing "numerous versions" which were then edited during the edit "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "We consider it a film."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the response for some AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis achieved a significant "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, several companies have also faced scrutiny for using AI in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics called "cheap" and "uncanny".
The incident illustrates the continuing conversation within the advertising and creative industries about the trade-off between AI efficiency and creative integrity.
