The global fast-food chain has taken down a holiday commercial produced with generative AI after receiving considerable online backlash.
The short spot was created using AI-generated video and was initially published publicly for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Removal
Soon after it aired, commenters lambasted the implementation of AI in the film. Many described it as "uncanny" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This moment is an key learning as we explore the appropriate utilization of AI," commented a representative from the company.
The advert was produced for McDonald's by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various situations that can go wrong during the festive season, with the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
The Movement of AI Commercials
Adverts that incorporate AI tools have emerged as a growing trend among major brands, especially for the holiday season.
- Another beverage giant has also launched back-to-back AI-generated holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: As videos created with current AI video tools are susceptible to degrade the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised worries about the replacement of human roles in the advertising sector, with some critics pointing out it might reduce work for actors.
Defense from the Creators
After the commercial being pulled, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
Bridge claimed, the production process required "seven weeks" and involved creating "thousands of takes" which were then crafted in post-production "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't just an AI gimmick," she commented. "It was a finished piece."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's ad was largely criticized, the response for some AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday ad from another major brand reportedly received a 61% "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have likewise received criticism for using AI in marketing. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics described as "cheap" and "disturbing".
The episode illustrates the evolving conversation within the marketing and creative sectors about the trade-off between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
