The global fast-food chain has removed a holiday commercial produced using Artificial Intelligence after facing significant online backlash.
The short spot was produced with the help of AI-generated video and was first published online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Removal
Following its publication, viewers on social media lambasted the implementation of AI in the commercial. Many described it as "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This moment serves as an key lesson as we explore the appropriate use of generative technology," commented a spokesperson from the company.
The advert was created for McDonald's by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of situations that often go badly during the festive season, with the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI in Advertising
Commercials that incorporate AI tools have become a growing trend among large companies, particularly for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has similarly released consecutive AI-generated Christmas commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Since segments created using current AI video tools are prone to degrade the more extended they are, the majority of such clips tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also sparked fears about job displacement in the creative sector, with some commenters stating it could negatively impact work for actors.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
Bridge claimed, the creation took "over a month and a half" and involved generating "numerous versions" which were then edited afterward "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This was not an experiment," she commented. "The result was a finished piece."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was predominantly panned, the response for other AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis achieved a significant "positive feedback" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have also received backlash for using the technique in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics called "cheap" and "disturbing".
The situation highlights the evolving conversation within the advertising and creative industries about the balance between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
