McDonald's has pulled a Christmas advert made using AI following receiving considerable criticism on social media.
The short ad was created using AI-generated video and was originally uploaded online for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Social Media Reaction and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, commenters criticized the implementation of AI in the commercial. Many labeled it "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience represents an key lesson as we investigate the appropriate use of AI," commented a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of situations that might go awry during the Christmas break, under the theme "the worst time of the year".
The Trend of AI-Generated Ads
Campaigns that include generative AI have become a rising trend among major brands, notably for the Christmas campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has also released back-to-back AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Because segments created using generative AI are susceptible to become unstable the longer they run, most such clips tend to be only six to 10 seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also provoked concerns about automation in the advertising industry, with some commenters pointing out it could negatively impact work for camera crews.
Response from the Production Company
Following the video's removal, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
Bridge claimed, the creation took "seven weeks" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then edited during the edit "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an experiment," Bridge asserted. "The result was a proper commercial."
Mixed Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was predominantly panned, the response for other AI-generated campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday spot from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a significant "positive feedback" from viewers.
However, several companies have likewise encountered scrutiny for employing the technique in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics called "lazy" and "disturbing".
The episode highlights the continuing conversation within the marketing and production industries about the trade-off between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
