McDonald's has taken down a holiday advertisement created with generative AI following receiving widespread public disapproval.
The short film was developed using generative AI clips and was first uploaded on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Removal
Shortly after its release, commenters criticized the implementation of AI in the film. A number of labeled it "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This experience represents an valuable lesson as we investigate the effective application of Artificial Intelligence," commented a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was developed for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed various things that often go badly over the festive season, under the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Commercials that incorporate generative AI have become a growing phenomenon among large companies, particularly for the Christmas campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly launched back-to-back AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: As videos made using current AI video tools are susceptible to distort the longer they run, the majority of such clips tend to be about short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also raised fears about the replacement of human roles in the production sector, with some critics noting it could affect work for production staff.
Response from the Production Company
Following the ad being taken down, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
Bridge claimed, the production process took "over a month and a half" and involved producing "numerous versions" which were then edited in post-production "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," she commented. "It was a film."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was predominantly panned, the response for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated Christmas spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis achieved a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, various brands have also faced criticism for using the technique in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics described as "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The incident illustrates the ongoing debate within the advertising and production sectors about the balance between new tools and audience reception.
