The global fast-food chain has taken down a Christmas commercial produced using generative AI after facing considerable online backlash.
The brief spot was created via AI-generated video and was first released on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Viewer Reaction and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, audiences online lambasted the use of AI in the film. Several called it "uncanny" and "jarringly assembled".
"This moment represents an important lesson as we explore the appropriate use of AI," stated a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was developed for McDonald's by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It showed various things that might go awry over the Christmas break, under the slogan "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI in Advertising
Commercials that incorporate AI-created content have emerged as a rising phenomenon among major companies, especially for the Christmas campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has also released consecutive AI-generated holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: Since videos made using current AI video tools are more likely to degrade the more extended they are, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be about six to 10 seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also provoked fears about job displacement in the production industry, with some commenters stating it could affect opportunities for production staff.
Defense from the Production Company
After the video's removal, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
She stated, the production process took "over a month and a half" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then shaped during the edit "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't just an experiment," she said. "The result was a film."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was mostly criticized, the response for some AI-generated campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis garnered a 61% "favorable response" from viewers.
However, other businesses have also faced criticism for employing AI in advertising. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that some called "cheap" and "uncanny".
The episode underscores the continuing conversation within the advertising and production sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and audience reception.
