The global fast-food chain has pulled a holiday commercial produced via generative AI following encountering significant criticism on social media.
The 45-second ad was produced via AI-generated video and was first published publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, audiences online denounced the implementation of AI in the advert. Several described it as "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This moment is an important learning as we investigate the appropriate application of AI," commented a statement from the company.
The commercial was created for McDonald's by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various situations that can go wrong during the holidays, under the slogan "the worst time of the year".
The Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Campaigns that include AI-created content have emerged as a increasing trend among large companies, particularly for the holiday season.
- Another beverage giant has similarly launched back-to-back AI-created Christmas ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Because videos created using current AI video tools are prone to become unstable the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be roughly short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked concerns about job displacement in the production industry, with some commenters pointing out it could affect opportunities for actors.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
According to her, the development took "over a month and a half" and involved creating "numerous versions" which were then crafted afterward "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "The result was a film."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was mostly panned, the response for other AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday spot from another major brand according to analysis received a significant "positive feedback" from viewers.
However, several companies have also encountered criticism for using AI in marketing. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics described as "cheap" and "uncanny".
The incident underscores the ongoing discussion within the advertising and creative sectors about the trade-off between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
