The global fast-food chain has taken down a holiday advert made with AI after encountering considerable online backlash.
The brief ad was developed using AI video tools and was initially released online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Audience Reaction and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, viewers on social media denounced the employment of AI in the advert. A number of called it "uncanny" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This moment represents an important lesson as we investigate the proper utilization of Artificial Intelligence," stated a representative from the company.
The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various scenarios that might go awry during the Christmas break, using the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI Commercials
Campaigns that feature AI tools have become a rising phenomenon among large companies, especially for the holiday period.
- Another beverage giant has recently released back-to-back AI-created holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: As clips made using generative AI are more likely 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 job displacement in the advertising industry, with some observers pointing out it could reduce opportunities for camera crews.
Response from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
She stated, the creation took "seven weeks" and involved producing "thousands of takes" which were then crafted during the edit "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't just an experiment," she said. "The result was a film."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was mostly criticized, the sentiment for some AI-generated campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday spot from Coca-Cola reportedly received a significant "favorable response" from viewers.
However, other businesses have likewise faced criticism for employing AI in advertising. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics called "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The episode highlights the continuing debate within the advertising and creative sectors about the balance between technological innovation and audience reception.
