McDonald's has removed a holiday advertisement created using Artificial Intelligence following facing considerable public disapproval.
The 45-second ad was created via generative AI clips and was initially published on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Social Media Response and Removal
Soon after it aired, commenters denounced the use of AI in the advert. A number of described it as "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This incident serves as an valuable learning as we examine the effective utilization of generative technology," commented a statement from the company.
The advert was produced for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of situations that might go awry during the festive season, using the tagline "the worst time of the year".
The Trend of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that incorporate AI-created content have emerged as a increasing phenomenon among prominent corporations, notably for the holiday campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has recently launched consecutive AI-created holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Since segments made using current AI video tools are prone to degrade the longer they run, the majority of such clips tend to be roughly six to 10 seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also provoked worries about the replacement of human roles in the creative industry, with some observers stating it could affect work for actors.
Response from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
She stated, the production process required "over a month and a half" and involved creating "thousands of takes" which were then shaped in post-production "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an AI trick," she said. "It was a proper commercial."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was largely criticized, the sentiment for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a significant "positive feedback" from online commenters.
However, various brands have also received scrutiny for using AI in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some described as "cheap" and "uncanny".
The incident illustrates the continuing conversation within the advertising and production sectors about the trade-off between new tools and audience reception.
