McDonald's has pulled a Christmas advertisement created using AI following receiving significant online backlash.
The 45-second ad was created using AI video tools and was initially uploaded online for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Removal
Following its publication, audiences online denounced the use of AI in the advert. Many described it as "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This experience serves as an important lesson as we investigate the effective use of AI," commented a statement from the company.
The commercial was developed for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It depicted various things that often go badly during the Christmas break, under the tagline "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI in Advertising
Adverts that feature AI-created content have emerged as a rising trend among prominent companies, particularly for the Christmas campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has recently launched back-to-back AI-created Christmas ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Since segments produced using generative AI are susceptible to distort the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be roughly short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked concerns about the replacement of human roles in the production sector, with some commenters noting it might affect opportunities for camera crews.
Defense from the Creators
After the ad being taken down, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
Bridge claimed, the development required "over a month and a half" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then edited in post-production "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an experiment," she said. "It was a film."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was largely panned, the reception for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated Christmas ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis achieved a significant "positive feedback" from online commenters.
However, various brands have likewise faced criticism for using the technique in advertising. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics called "lazy" and "disturbing".
The episode highlights the ongoing debate within the advertising and production industries about the balance between technological innovation and creative integrity.
