The global fast-food chain has taken down a holiday commercial made using AI following receiving widespread public disapproval.
The brief spot was developed with the help of generative AI clips and was first uploaded online for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Removal
Soon after it aired, audiences online denounced the implementation of AI in the commercial. A number of described it as "uncanny" and "jarringly assembled".
"This moment represents an important lesson as we explore the appropriate use of Artificial Intelligence," commented a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was created for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of situations that can go wrong during the Christmas break, with the slogan "the most terrible time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Adverts that incorporate AI tools have emerged as a rising trend among large companies, notably for the Christmas period.
- Coca-Cola has also released consecutive AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: As segments produced using generative AI are more likely to degrade the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be roughly six to 10 seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also provoked fears about automation in the advertising sector, with some critics stating it might negatively impact work for camera crews.
Response from the Creators
After the video's removal, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
According to her, the creation required "over a month and a half" and involved creating "thousands of takes" which were then crafted in post-production "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't just an AI gimmick," Bridge asserted. "We consider it a film."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's ad was mostly criticized, the sentiment for other AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis achieved a 61% "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, several companies have likewise received scrutiny for employing AI in marketing. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that some described as "cheap" and "disturbing".
The episode illustrates the ongoing discussion within the advertising and creative industries about the balance between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
