McDonald's has pulled a Christmas advertisement made via AI following encountering widespread criticism on social media.
The short film was produced using AI-generated video and was initially published publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Removal
Following its publication, viewers on social media lambasted the implementation of AI in the commercial. Many called it "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience serves as an key learning as we investigate the effective use of Artificial Intelligence," said a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was developed for the brand by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It depicted various things that might go awry during the festive season, using the theme "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Commercials that incorporate generative AI have become a growing trend among large corporations, notably for the Christmas campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has also launched consecutive AI-generated Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Because segments created using generative AI are more likely to distort the longer they run, the majority of such clips tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also raised concerns about automation in the production sector, with some commenters noting it might affect work for actors.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the video's removal, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
She stated, the development required "over a month and a half" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then shaped afterward "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," she commented. "We consider it a film."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the sentiment for some AI-generated campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday ad from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a significant "positive sentiment rating" from the public.
However, several companies have also faced criticism for employing AI in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics described as "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The situation illustrates the ongoing debate within the marketing and production industries about the balance between AI efficiency and creative integrity.
