McDonald's has pulled a holiday advert made via generative AI following facing widespread online backlash.
The brief film was developed using AI-generated video and was initially published on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Social Media Response and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media criticized the employment of AI in the commercial. Many described it as "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This experience represents an key learning as we investigate the effective utilization of Artificial Intelligence," commented a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was developed for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of things that might go awry during the Christmas break, using the theme "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI in Advertising
Adverts that incorporate generative AI have emerged as a increasing phenomenon among large brands, especially for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has recently launched consecutive AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Since videos made with generative AI are more likely to become unstable the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be about short in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also provoked concerns about job displacement in the production sector, with some critics stating it could negatively impact opportunities for camera crews.
Response from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
She stated, the development required "over a month and a half" and involved creating "thousands of takes" which were then crafted in post-production "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an AI gimmick," she commented. "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-created Christmas ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis garnered a significant "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, other businesses have also faced scrutiny for employing the technique in marketing. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics called "lazy" and "disturbing".
The situation highlights the ongoing debate within the advertising and production sectors about the balance between new tools and audience reception.
