The Fast-Food Giant Removes AI-Generated Festive Advertisement In the Wake of Online Criticism.
McDonald's has taken down a Christmas commercial created with Artificial Intelligence following receiving significant online backlash.
The brief spot was created via generative AI clips and was first uploaded online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Removal
Soon after it aired, commenters denounced the implementation of AI in the film. Several called it "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This incident is an valuable lesson as we investigate the appropriate use of Artificial Intelligence," said a statement from the company.
The commercial was produced for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of situations that can go wrong during the Christmas break, using the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Adverts that feature AI-created content have become a growing trend among large brands, particularly for the Christmas period.
- Coca-Cola has similarly launched consecutive AI-generated holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: Because clips produced using generative AI are prone to degrade the longer they run, most such clips tend to be roughly six to 10 seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also provoked fears about the replacement of human roles in the advertising industry, with some observers pointing out it could reduce opportunities for camera crews.
Response from the Creators
Following the commercial being pulled, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
According to her, the development took "over a month and a half" and involved generating "countless iterations" which were then crafted afterward "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an AI trick," she said. "The result was a film."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was predominantly panned, the response for some AI-assisted campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday ad from Coca-Cola reportedly received a significant "positive feedback" from viewers.
However, other businesses have also faced criticism for employing AI in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some described as "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The episode highlights the continuing debate within the marketing and creative industries about the trade-off between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
