The global fast-food chain has removed a Christmas commercial produced via AI following facing significant online backlash.
The 45-second spot was created with the help of AI video tools and was first published online for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Social Media Response and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media criticized the implementation of AI in the film. A number of labeled it "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience is an important learning as we explore the effective application of generative technology," stated a spokesperson from the company.
The advert was developed for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It depicted various scenarios that can go wrong during the festive season, under the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI Commercials
Commercials that feature generative AI have emerged as a growing phenomenon among prominent brands, especially for the holiday campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has also released consecutive AI-generated holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: As segments produced using current AI video tools are susceptible to distort the more extended they are, most such clips tend to be about short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also sparked fears about automation in the production industry, with some commenters stating it might reduce work for actors.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
Bridge claimed, the creation took "over a month and a half" and involved producing "thousands of takes" which were then shaped in post-production "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't just an AI gimmick," she said. "The result was a finished piece."
Mixed Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was largely panned, the sentiment for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated Christmas spot from Coca-Cola reportedly garnered a significant "favorable response" from the public.
However, other businesses have also received criticism for employing the technique in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some described as "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The situation illustrates the ongoing discussion within the marketing and production sectors about the balance between AI efficiency and creative integrity.
