The global fast-food chain has pulled a holiday advertisement created using generative AI following encountering significant criticism on social media.
The short film was developed via AI video tools and was first uploaded on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, commenters denounced the implementation of AI in the commercial. Many called it "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This moment is an valuable learning as we explore the proper use of Artificial Intelligence," commented a statement from the company.
The advert was created for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It depicted various situations that can go wrong over the holidays, under the tagline "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Commercials that include AI tools have emerged as a growing phenomenon among major brands, especially for the holiday season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly launched back-to-back AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Technical Challenges: As clips produced with current AI video tools are susceptible to distort the more extended they are, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also raised concerns about automation in the advertising industry, with some commenters noting it could reduce work for actors.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
She stated, the development required "over a month and a half" and involved creating "thousands of takes" which were then crafted afterward "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an experiment," she commented. "It was a finished piece."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was predominantly panned, the response for other AI-generated holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday spot from another major brand reportedly achieved a 61% "positive feedback" from online commenters.
However, several companies have likewise received scrutiny for employing AI in marketing. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that some described as "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The situation underscores the continuing debate within the advertising and production industries about the trade-off between AI efficiency and audience reception.
