McDonald's has taken down a holiday commercial created via Artificial Intelligence following receiving widespread criticism on social media.
The 45-second ad was produced using generative AI clips and was originally uploaded on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Removal
Shortly after its release, commenters lambasted the use of AI in the advert. Many labeled it "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience serves as an important lesson as we investigate the effective utilization of generative technology," said a statement from the company.
The commercial was developed for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of situations that can go wrong over the festive season, under the theme "the most terrible time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI-Generated Ads
Commercials that include generative AI have become a growing trend among prominent brands, notably for the holiday period.
- Coca-Cola has also launched consecutive AI-generated Christmas commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Since videos created with generative AI are susceptible to distort the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly six to 10 seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also raised fears about job displacement in the advertising sector, with some critics stating it might affect work for camera crews.
Response from the Production Company
After the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
She stated, the creation required "seven weeks" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then edited afterward "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "The result was a finished piece."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was mostly panned, the sentiment for some AI-generated campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday ad from Coca-Cola reportedly received a significant "positive sentiment rating" from the public.
However, several companies have likewise faced criticism for employing AI in marketing. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics called "cheap" and "disturbing".
The episode highlights the ongoing discussion within the advertising and production sectors about the balance between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
