McDonald's has removed a holiday advertisement made with Artificial Intelligence after facing widespread criticism on social media.
The 45-second film was produced using generative AI clips and was initially uploaded publicly for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Social Media Criticism and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, viewers on social media criticized the employment of AI in the film. Many described it as "uncanny" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience represents an important lesson as we explore the proper utilization of AI," said a representative from the company.
The advert was created for McDonald's by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It showed various scenarios that might go awry over the Christmas break, with the tagline "the worst time of the year".
The Movement of AI Commercials
Adverts that incorporate generative AI have emerged as a growing phenomenon among major companies, particularly for the holiday season.
- Coca-Cola has also launched back-to-back AI-created holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Since clips created using generative AI are prone to become unstable the more extended they are, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised worries about the replacement of human roles in the advertising industry, with some commenters noting it could affect work for camera crews.
Defense from the Creators
Following the video's removal, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
According to her, the development required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "thousands of takes" which were then crafted afterward "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This was not an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "We consider it a finished piece."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was predominantly criticized, the reception for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a 61% "positive feedback" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have also received backlash for using AI in advertising. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that some called "cheap" and "uncanny".
The episode illustrates the evolving discussion within the advertising and production industries about the balance between AI efficiency and creative integrity.
