McDonald's has pulled a holiday commercial produced using generative AI following receiving significant online backlash.
The 45-second ad was created via AI video tools and was initially uploaded publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media criticized the employment of AI in the advert. A number of described it as "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience represents an valuable lesson 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 company TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It depicted various scenarios that might go awry during the holidays, with the slogan "the most terrible time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI-Generated Ads
Adverts that feature AI tools have become a increasing trend among large companies, particularly for the holiday period.
- Coca-Cola has similarly released back-to-back AI-generated holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: As clips made with current AI video tools are more likely to degrade the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be only six to 10 seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also raised fears about the replacement of human roles in the advertising sector, with some commenters pointing out it could affect work for production staff.
Response from the Creators
Following the ad being taken down, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
Bridge claimed, the development required "seven weeks" and involved generating "numerous versions" which were then shaped in post-production "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "It was a proper commercial."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was mostly panned, the sentiment for some AI-generated campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis garnered a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from the public.
However, other businesses have likewise faced scrutiny for employing the technique in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that some called "cheap" and "uncanny".
The situation underscores the ongoing debate within the marketing and creative sectors about the balance between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
