McDonald's has removed a holiday advert created with generative AI after facing considerable criticism on social media.
The 45-second film was developed using AI-generated video and was originally released on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Reaction and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, commenters criticized the implementation of AI in the commercial. Many described it as "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled".
"This moment is an important lesson as we explore the proper application of AI," stated a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was developed for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It showed various scenarios that often go badly during the holidays, under the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI-Generated Ads
Campaigns that feature AI tools have emerged as a increasing trend among prominent brands, especially for the holiday campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly released consecutive AI-created holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: Because clips produced with current AI video tools are prone to distort the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also sparked concerns about automation in the advertising sector, with some critics pointing out it could reduce work for camera crews.
Defense from the Creators
Following the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
She stated, the development required "over a month and a half" and involved generating "countless iterations" which were then edited in post-production "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't just an experiment," she commented. "We consider it a finished piece."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the response for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas ad from another major brand reportedly received a 61% "positive feedback" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have also received scrutiny for employing AI in advertising. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics described as "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The situation highlights the continuing debate within the advertising and creative sectors about the trade-off between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.