The global fast-food chain has removed a Christmas advert created via Artificial Intelligence after facing significant criticism on social media.
The brief film was developed with the help of AI-generated video and was originally published online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Social Media Reaction and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, audiences online denounced the implementation of AI in the advert. A number of labeled it "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This moment represents an important lesson as we examine the effective application of AI," said a statement from the company.
The advert was developed for McDonald's by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of things that can go wrong during the Christmas break, with the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI Commercials
Campaigns that include AI-created content have become a rising phenomenon among large brands, notably for the holiday season.
- Coca-Cola has recently launched back-to-back AI-generated Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: As clips made using current AI video tools are more likely to degrade the longer they run, most such clips tend to be only six to 10 seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked worries about automation in the advertising sector, with some commenters pointing out it might affect opportunities for camera crews.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
Bridge claimed, the development took "over a month and a half" and involved producing "numerous versions" which were then edited during the edit "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't just an AI gimmick," she commented. "It was a proper commercial."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the sentiment for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday spot from another major brand reportedly achieved a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, other businesses have also faced backlash for employing AI in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics described as "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The episode highlights the continuing debate within the marketing and production sectors about the balance between AI efficiency and audience reception.
