McDonald's has pulled a holiday advert produced with generative AI following encountering considerable public disapproval.
The short spot was created via AI-generated video and was originally published publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Social Media Criticism and Removal
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media denounced the implementation of AI in the commercial. Many called it "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This moment represents an important lesson as we examine the effective utilization of AI," said a statement from the company.
The advert was created for McDonald's by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various things that can go wrong during the Christmas break, using the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Commercials that feature AI tools have become a increasing phenomenon among prominent corporations, especially for the Christmas season.
- Another beverage giant has recently released consecutive AI-generated Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Since videos made with current AI video tools are prone to distort the more extended they are, the majority of such clips tend to be roughly short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also sparked concerns about automation in the creative sector, with some commenters noting it might negatively impact work for camera crews.
Defense from the Creators
Following the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
She stated, the development took "over a month and a half" and involved generating "countless iterations" which were then crafted afterward "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," she said. "It was a finished piece."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was largely panned, the response for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, various brands have also faced backlash for employing the technique in advertising. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics called "lazy" and "uncanny".
The incident highlights the ongoing debate within the marketing and production sectors about the trade-off between AI efficiency and audience reception.
