The global fast-food chain has taken down a holiday advertisement created via AI after receiving significant criticism on social media.
The short ad was created with the help of generative AI clips and was initially uploaded publicly for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Social Media Response and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, viewers on social media lambasted the implementation of AI in the film. A number of labeled it "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This moment is an key learning as we investigate the effective application of Artificial Intelligence," commented a representative from the company.
The commercial was created for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various scenarios that often go badly over the festive season, under the slogan "the worst time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI-Generated Ads
Commercials that feature AI-created content have emerged as a increasing phenomenon among large brands, notably for the Christmas period.
- Coca-Cola has recently released back-to-back AI-created holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Because clips produced using current AI video tools are susceptible to degrade the more extended they are, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also sparked worries about the replacement of human roles in the creative sector, with some critics noting it might affect work for actors.
Response from the Creators
After the commercial being pulled, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
Bridge claimed, the creation took "over a month and a half" and involved creating "thousands of takes" which were then shaped during the edit "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an experiment," she commented. "It was a proper commercial."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was mostly criticized, the sentiment for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday ad from another major brand according to analysis achieved a 61% "favorable response" from the public.
However, other businesses have also received criticism for using AI in advertising. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics described as "cheap" and "uncanny".
The situation highlights the evolving conversation within the marketing and production industries about the balance between new tools and human craftsmanship.
