McDonald's has removed a holiday advert made via AI after facing considerable criticism on social media.
The short spot was created via generative AI clips and was originally published publicly for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Social Media Response and Removal
Following its publication, viewers on social media lambasted the use of AI in the commercial. A number of described it as "uncanny" and "jarringly assembled".
"This incident serves as an important learning as we investigate the appropriate utilization of Artificial Intelligence," said a statement from the company.
The commercial was developed for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various situations that can go wrong over the festive season, with the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI Commercials
Adverts that feature generative AI have emerged as a increasing trend among prominent companies, notably for the holiday period.
- Coca-Cola has similarly released consecutive AI-generated Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Since clips produced with generative AI are prone to become unstable the more extended they are, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also raised fears about the replacement of human roles in the production sector, with some observers noting it could reduce opportunities for production staff.
Response from the Production Company
After the video's removal, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
Bridge claimed, the creation required "over a month and a half" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then crafted in post-production "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," she said. "It was a proper commercial."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was mostly panned, the sentiment for other AI-assisted campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated Christmas spot from another major brand according to analysis received a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, several companies have likewise encountered criticism for employing the technique in advertising. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics described as "cheap" and "uncanny".
The episode illustrates the continuing discussion within the marketing and creative sectors about the trade-off between new tools and creative integrity.
