McDonald's has pulled a Christmas advertisement made with AI after facing widespread online backlash.
The 45-second spot was produced with the help of generative AI clips and was first released publicly for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Removal
Following its publication, audiences online criticized the implementation of AI in the film. Several described it as "uncanny" and "jarringly assembled".
"This incident serves as an valuable learning as we examine the effective application of Artificial Intelligence," said a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was developed for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of things that often go badly over the festive season, under the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Commercials that incorporate AI tools have emerged as a increasing phenomenon among large companies, notably for the holiday campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has also released consecutive AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Inherent Limitations: As clips created using current AI video tools are prone to distort the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also raised worries about the replacement of human roles in the production sector, with some critics stating it might negatively impact work for actors.
Response from the Production Company
Following the video's removal, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
Bridge claimed, the production process took "seven weeks" and involved creating "thousands of takes" which were then crafted 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 McDonald's commercial was predominantly panned, the reception for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday spot from Coca-Cola reportedly garnered a significant "positive feedback" from online commenters.
However, several companies have also faced scrutiny for employing the technique in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that some called "lazy" and "disturbing".
The situation underscores the evolving debate within the advertising and creative industries about the trade-off between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
