McDonald's has pulled a Christmas advertisement made with AI following encountering significant criticism on social media.
The short film was created with the help of AI video tools and was originally uploaded on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Removal
Following its publication, audiences online lambasted the employment of AI in the commercial. Several described it as "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This experience serves as an key learning as we examine the appropriate utilization of AI," commented a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was produced for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of things that can go wrong during the Christmas break, with the theme "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI Commercials
Campaigns that include generative AI have emerged as a rising trend among prominent corporations, especially for the holiday period.
- Coca-Cola has similarly released consecutive AI-created Christmas ads.
- Technical Challenges: As clips created with generative AI are susceptible to distort the longer they run, most such clips tend to be about six to 10 seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised concerns about job displacement in the production industry, with some commenters stating it could affect opportunities for actors.
Defense from the Creators
Following the video's removal, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
She stated, the creation required "over a month and a half" and involved generating "numerous versions" which were then crafted in post-production "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an experiment," she commented. "The result was a film."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was predominantly criticized, the response for other AI-assisted campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday spot from another major brand according to analysis achieved a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, various brands have likewise received scrutiny for using the technique in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that some called "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The incident highlights the continuing conversation within the marketing and creative sectors about the balance between technological innovation and creative integrity.
