McDonald's has taken down a Christmas advert made using generative AI following encountering significant criticism on social media.
The short film was developed with the help of AI video tools and was originally published publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Audience Response and Removal
Soon after it aired, viewers on social media denounced the employment of AI in the commercial. Many labeled it "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident is an important learning as we investigate the effective application of AI," stated a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was developed for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of things that often go badly over the holidays, with the theme "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Campaigns that incorporate AI tools have emerged as a increasing trend among prominent corporations, notably for the Christmas period.
- Coca-Cola has also launched back-to-back AI-created holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: As videos produced using generative AI are susceptible to become unstable the more extended they are, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly six to 10 seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised fears about the replacement of human roles in the creative industry, with some commenters pointing out it might affect opportunities for camera crews.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
Bridge claimed, the development took "over a month and a half" and involved producing "thousands of takes" which were then shaped afterward "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an AI gimmick," she said. "It was a film."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was mostly panned, the reception for some AI-assisted campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a 61% "favorable response" from viewers.
However, several companies have likewise encountered backlash for employing the technique in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics described as "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The situation highlights the continuing discussion within the advertising and production sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
