McDonald's has taken down a Christmas advertisement made with AI after receiving considerable public disapproval.
The 45-second ad was produced via AI-generated video and was initially released publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Removal
Following its publication, commenters denounced the employment of AI in the advert. Several called it "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This experience represents an valuable learning as we explore the proper utilization of AI," said a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It showed a series of scenarios that can go wrong during the holidays, using the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI Commercials
Campaigns that feature AI tools have emerged as a increasing trend among large companies, especially for the holiday season.
- Coca-Cola has recently launched back-to-back AI-created holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Because videos made with generative AI are susceptible to degrade the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be roughly short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also provoked fears about automation in the creative sector, with some commenters pointing out it might affect work for production staff.
Response from the Creators
Following the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
Bridge claimed, the development took "seven weeks" and involved creating "numerous versions" which were then shaped during the edit "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "It was a film."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was predominantly criticized, the reception for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas spot from Coca-Cola reportedly garnered a significant "positive feedback" from viewers.
However, other businesses have likewise encountered criticism for using AI in marketing. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics called "lazy" and "disturbing".
The situation illustrates the ongoing debate within the advertising and production sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
