The global fast-food chain has taken down a Christmas advert produced using Artificial Intelligence after encountering considerable criticism on social media.
The short ad was created via AI video tools and was first released publicly for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Audience Reaction and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, commenters criticized the use of AI in the commercial. Several called it "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This experience represents an important learning as we explore the effective use of generative technology," stated a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was developed for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of situations that can go wrong over the Christmas break, using the slogan "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI Commercials
Campaigns that incorporate AI-created content have emerged as a increasing trend among major companies, especially for the Christmas campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has recently launched consecutive AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Inherent Limitations: As videos created using generative AI are susceptible to distort the longer they run, the majority of such clips tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also sparked concerns about the replacement of human roles in the production industry, with some critics noting it could negatively impact opportunities for actors.
Defense from the Creators
After the ad being taken down, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
According to her, the creation required "seven weeks" and involved generating "countless iterations" which were then crafted afterward "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," she commented. "The result was a proper commercial."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was largely panned, the sentiment for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday spot from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a significant "positive feedback" from the public.
However, various brands have also received criticism for employing AI in their campaigns. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics called "lazy" and "disturbing".
The episode illustrates the evolving debate within the marketing and production sectors about the trade-off between new tools and creative integrity.
