McDonald's has pulled a Christmas advertisement created using generative AI after receiving widespread criticism on social media.
The short ad was produced via AI-generated video and was first published online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Viewer Reaction and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, commenters lambasted the use of AI in the advert. A number of labeled it "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This moment is an key lesson as we examine the effective use of generative technology," said a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of things that might go awry over the Christmas break, using the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI Commercials
Commercials that incorporate AI-created content have become a rising phenomenon among major brands, especially for the Christmas period.
- Coca-Cola has also released back-to-back AI-generated holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Because videos produced using generative AI are prone to degrade the more extended they are, the majority of such clips tend to be only short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also raised fears about automation in the advertising industry, with some commenters pointing out it could affect opportunities for production staff.
Defense from the Production Company
After the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
Bridge claimed, the development required "seven weeks" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then edited during the edit "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "It was a finished piece."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was predominantly criticized, the reception for other AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated Christmas spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis garnered a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have also faced criticism for using the technique in marketing. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics called "lazy" and "uncanny".
The incident illustrates the evolving debate within the advertising and creative industries about the balance between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
