The global fast-food chain has pulled a Christmas commercial created with generative AI following encountering significant public disapproval.
The short spot was produced with the help of generative AI clips and was originally uploaded online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Viewer Reaction and Removal
Following its publication, audiences online lambasted the employment of AI in the commercial. Several described it as "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".
"This incident is an valuable learning as we examine the appropriate utilization of AI," stated a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was developed for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed various things that can go wrong over the festive season, under the theme "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI-Generated Ads
Campaigns that include AI-created content have become a rising phenomenon among major companies, especially for the Christmas campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly released back-to-back AI-generated holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: As videos produced with generative AI are susceptible to become unstable the more extended they are, the majority of such clips tend to be roughly six to 10 seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also provoked concerns about job displacement in the production industry, with some observers stating it might reduce work for camera crews.
Defense from the Creators
After the video's removal, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
She stated, the creation required "seven weeks" and involved creating "numerous versions" which were then shaped afterward "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an AI gimmick," she commented. "It was a film."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was largely criticized, the reception for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated Christmas spot from Coca-Cola reportedly received a significant "positive feedback" from the public.
However, other businesses have also encountered scrutiny for employing AI in marketing. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that some described as "cheap" and "uncanny".
The episode highlights the ongoing debate within the marketing and creative sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and audience reception.
