McDonald's has pulled a Christmas advertisement produced with generative AI after encountering widespread criticism on social media.
The brief spot was created using AI video tools and was originally uploaded on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Reaction and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, commenters lambasted the employment of AI in the film. A number of labeled it "uncanny" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience represents an key learning as we examine the appropriate utilization of AI," commented a representative from the company.
The advert was created for the brand by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed various things that might go awry during the Christmas break, under the tagline "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that feature AI tools have become a rising trend among prominent corporations, especially for the holiday period.
- Another beverage giant has recently launched back-to-back AI-created holiday commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Because clips produced using generative AI are more likely to degrade the more extended they are, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be about short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also sparked worries about the replacement of human roles in the production sector, with some critics noting it could negatively impact opportunities for camera crews.
Response from the Creators
Following the commercial being pulled, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
She stated, the development took "seven weeks" and involved generating "numerous versions" which were then crafted afterward "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," she said. "It was a proper commercial."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was largely panned, the reception for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis achieved a significant "positive feedback" from online commenters.
However, various brands have also encountered backlash for using the technique in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that some called "cheap" and "uncanny".
The incident illustrates the evolving discussion within the advertising and production sectors about the balance between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
