The global fast-food chain has removed a holiday commercial produced with Artificial Intelligence following facing widespread online backlash.
The 45-second film was developed with the help of AI video tools and was first released online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Removal
Following its publication, audiences online lambasted the implementation of AI in the film. Many described it as "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This experience is an key learning as we investigate the appropriate application of Artificial Intelligence," commented a spokesperson from the company.
The commercial was created for McDonald's by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It depicted various situations that might go awry during the Christmas break, under the slogan "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI Commercials
Commercials that incorporate generative AI have emerged as a growing phenomenon among prominent corporations, particularly for the Christmas season.
- Coca-Cola has also launched consecutive AI-created Christmas ads.
- Inherent Limitations: As clips created with generative AI are more likely to distort the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also raised worries about automation in the advertising industry, with some observers noting it might negatively impact work for camera crews.
Defense from the Production Company
After the ad being taken down, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
According to her, the production process required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then edited during the edit "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," she said. "It was a finished piece."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was mostly criticized, the sentiment for other AI-generated holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a 61% "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have also faced criticism for using AI in marketing. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics described as "cheap" and "uncanny".
The situation illustrates the evolving conversation within the advertising and production sectors about the trade-off between AI efficiency and creative integrity.
