The global fast-food chain has taken down a holiday advert created via generative AI following receiving widespread online backlash.
The 45-second spot was developed with the help of AI-generated video and was initially uploaded publicly for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, audiences online denounced the employment of AI in the film. Many called it "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This experience represents an key learning as we explore the appropriate utilization of generative technology," commented a statement from the company.
The commercial was developed for McDonald's by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It showed various things that can go wrong during the holidays, with the theme "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Trend of AI Commercials
Commercials that feature generative AI have become a increasing phenomenon among large brands, especially for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has also released consecutive AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Because videos produced using generative AI are more likely to distort the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be only six to 10 seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also sparked concerns about the replacement of human roles in the creative industry, with some observers stating it might negatively impact work for actors.
Defense from the Creators
After the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
She stated, the production process took "over a month and a half" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then edited during the edit "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This was not an AI trick," she said. "The result was a film."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the response for other AI-generated holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas spot from Coca-Cola reportedly garnered a 61% "positive feedback" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have also received backlash for using the technique in advertising. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that some described as "lazy" and "uncanny".
The episode highlights the ongoing conversation within the marketing and production industries about the balance between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
