McDonald's has removed a Christmas commercial made with generative AI after receiving significant criticism on social media.
The brief spot was created with the help of AI video tools and was initially uploaded on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Removal
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media lambasted the implementation of AI in the commercial. Many labeled it "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".
"This moment represents an valuable learning as we examine the appropriate application of AI," said a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various situations that might go awry during the Christmas break, using the slogan "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that incorporate generative AI have emerged as a increasing trend among large corporations, particularly for the holiday campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly launched consecutive AI-created holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Because clips made using current AI video tools are more likely to distort the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be only short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised concerns about automation in the creative sector, with some commenters stating it might negatively impact opportunities for production staff.
Response from the Production Company
After the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
According to her, the production process required "seven weeks" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then edited in post-production "just as we would on any standard production".
"This was not an AI gimmick," she commented. "The result was a finished piece."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was largely panned, the response for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis achieved a 61% "favorable response" from viewers.
However, other businesses have also faced criticism for employing the technique in advertising. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics described as "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The situation underscores the evolving conversation within the marketing and creative sectors about the balance between technological innovation and audience reception.
