McDonald's has removed a Christmas advertisement produced with Artificial Intelligence following facing significant online backlash.
The brief spot was created using AI-generated video and was originally published publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Removal
Shortly after its release, commenters denounced the use of AI in the advert. Several called it "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled".
"This moment serves as an valuable learning as we examine the appropriate utilization of Artificial Intelligence," said a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was created for McDonald's by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It depicted various situations that often go badly over the Christmas break, with the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI Commercials
Commercials that incorporate AI tools have become a growing phenomenon among large companies, particularly for the holiday season.
- Coca-Cola has recently launched consecutive AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: As segments produced using generative AI are prone to distort the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be about six to 10 seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also raised worries about automation in the creative industry, with some commenters pointing out it might negatively impact work for actors.
Defense from the Production Company
After the video's removal, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
Bridge claimed, the development took "over a month and a half" and involved producing "numerous versions" which were then crafted during the edit "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This was not an experiment," she commented. "It was a finished piece."
Mixed Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the reception for some AI-generated holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday ad from another major brand according to analysis achieved a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, several companies have likewise faced backlash for employing AI in their campaigns. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics described as "lazy" and "disturbing".
The incident illustrates the continuing debate within the advertising and creative industries about the balance between AI efficiency and audience reception.
