The global fast-food chain has pulled a Christmas advert produced via generative AI following facing considerable criticism on social media.
The 45-second ad was produced using AI-generated video and was originally released online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Response and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, commenters lambasted the use of AI in the advert. Many described it as "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience is an key lesson as we examine the appropriate utilization of AI," said a representative from the company.
The advert was developed for McDonald's by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It showed a series of things that might go awry during the Christmas break, using the theme "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Trend of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that incorporate AI tools have emerged as a growing phenomenon among large corporations, especially for the Christmas campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has recently launched back-to-back AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Inherent Limitations: As clips made using current AI video tools are susceptible to become unstable the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be only short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also sparked worries about automation in the advertising sector, with some critics noting it could reduce work for actors.
Response from the Creators
After the commercial being pulled, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
She stated, the development required "seven weeks" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then crafted afterward "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "It was a proper commercial."
Mixed Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the sentiment for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday ad from another major brand according to analysis achieved a significant "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, various brands have likewise encountered criticism for using AI in advertising. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that some described as "lazy" and "disturbing".
The incident illustrates the continuing conversation within the marketing and production sectors about the trade-off between AI efficiency and audience reception.
