McDonald's has removed a holiday commercial made with generative AI after encountering significant online backlash.
The 45-second film was developed via AI-generated video and was originally released on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Viewer Reaction and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media lambasted the employment of AI in the film. Many described it as "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This experience serves as an valuable learning as we examine the proper use of Artificial Intelligence," commented a spokesperson from the company.
The commercial was developed for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of situations that often go badly during the holidays, using the theme "the worst time of the year".
The Movement of AI in Advertising
Commercials that feature generative AI have become a growing trend among prominent corporations, especially for the Christmas period.
- Coca-Cola has also launched consecutive AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Since clips made using current AI video tools are prone to distort the longer they run, most such clips tend to be roughly short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also raised worries about job displacement in the production industry, with some commenters stating it could reduce opportunities for production staff.
Defense from the Production Company
After the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
She stated, the development took "over a month and a half" and involved creating "thousands of takes" which were then edited in post-production "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an experiment," she commented. "We consider it a finished piece."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's ad was predominantly panned, the reception for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis achieved a significant "favorable response" from viewers.
However, several companies have likewise received criticism for employing AI in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics called "cheap" and "uncanny".
The incident underscores the evolving conversation within the marketing and production sectors about the balance between new tools and audience reception.
