The global fast-food chain has pulled a Christmas advert created using Artificial Intelligence after facing widespread public disapproval.
The short film was produced via AI-generated video and was originally uploaded publicly for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Social Media Response and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, viewers on social media lambasted the employment of AI in the commercial. A number of described it as "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This incident serves as an key lesson as we investigate the appropriate utilization of Artificial Intelligence," stated a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was developed for McDonald's by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It showed various situations that might go awry over the Christmas break, with the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI Commercials
Commercials that include AI-created content have emerged as a increasing phenomenon among large corporations, especially for the holiday period.
- Coca-Cola has similarly released back-to-back AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Since videos produced with current AI video tools are prone to become unstable the more extended they are, the majority of such clips tend to be roughly a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also sparked concerns about the replacement of human roles in the creative sector, with some critics pointing out it might reduce work for actors.
Defense from the Production Company
After the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
She stated, the creation took "seven weeks" and involved producing "thousands of takes" which were then edited afterward "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an experiment," Bridge asserted. "We consider it a proper commercial."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was predominantly panned, the reception for some AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday spot from Coca-Cola reportedly received a 61% "favorable response" from the public.
However, various brands have likewise received backlash for using AI in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics called "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The episode highlights the continuing conversation within the advertising and production industries about the trade-off between technological innovation and creative integrity.
