McDonald's has pulled a Christmas advert produced with Artificial Intelligence after encountering widespread criticism on social media.
The 45-second film was produced with the help of AI-generated video and was initially released online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Audience Response and Removal
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media denounced the use of AI in the film. A number of called it "uncanny" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This moment serves as an important learning as we explore the appropriate use of AI," stated a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was created for McDonald's by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It depicted various scenarios that might go awry during the holidays, using the slogan "the most terrible time of the year".
The Movement of AI Commercials
Adverts that incorporate generative AI have become a rising trend among large brands, especially for the Christmas campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly released consecutive AI-created holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Since videos produced with generative AI are susceptible to become unstable the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be only short in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also provoked worries about job displacement in the advertising industry, with some commenters stating it might reduce work for camera crews.
Response from the Creators
Following the video's removal, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
Bridge claimed, the production process required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "thousands of takes" which were then crafted in post-production "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an experiment," Bridge asserted. "The result was a finished piece."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was mostly criticized, the response for other AI-generated holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas spot from another major brand according to analysis received a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, several companies have likewise faced scrutiny for employing AI in marketing. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics described as "lazy" and "uncanny".
The incident underscores the ongoing debate within the marketing and creative sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
