McDonald's has pulled a Christmas commercial made via generative AI following receiving significant public disapproval.
The brief spot was produced using AI video tools and was initially released publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, viewers on social media denounced the employment of AI in the commercial. A number of described it as "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled".
"This incident serves as an key lesson as we explore the proper utilization of Artificial Intelligence," stated a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was produced for the brand by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of things that might go awry over the Christmas break, with the tagline "the worst time of the year".
The Trend of AI Commercials
Commercials that incorporate AI-created content have become a rising phenomenon among prominent brands, notably for the holiday period.
- Coca-Cola has similarly launched consecutive AI-created holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Because clips made with generative AI are susceptible to degrade the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also sparked fears about the replacement of human roles in the creative industry, with some observers stating it could negatively impact opportunities for camera crews.
Response from the Creators
Following the video's removal, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
She stated, the development required "seven weeks" and involved creating "thousands of takes" which were then edited during the edit "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," she said. "The result was a proper commercial."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was largely criticized, the sentiment for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday spot from Coca-Cola reportedly garnered a significant "positive sentiment rating" from the public.
However, several companies have likewise received scrutiny for employing the technique in advertising. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics called "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The situation illustrates the ongoing conversation within the marketing and production industries about the trade-off between new tools and audience reception.
