McDonald's has taken down a Christmas advertisement produced with generative AI following encountering considerable online backlash.
The 45-second ad was created via AI video tools and was first released online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Reaction and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, audiences online criticized the employment of AI in the advert. Several labeled it "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident is an key learning as we examine the effective utilization of generative technology," stated a spokesperson from the company.
The advert was created for McDonald's by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of things that might go awry during the holidays, under the tagline "the worst time of the year".
The Movement of AI Commercials
Campaigns that incorporate generative AI have emerged as a increasing trend among major companies, notably for the Christmas season.
- Coca-Cola has also launched consecutive AI-generated Christmas commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Because clips produced using current AI video tools are prone to become unstable the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be roughly a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised concerns about job displacement in the creative industry, with some commenters noting it might negatively impact work for camera crews.
Response from the Creators
After the video's removal, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
Bridge claimed, the production process took "over a month and a half" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then crafted in post-production "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't an experiment," Bridge asserted. "It was a film."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was mostly panned, the reception for other AI-generated campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas ad from another major brand reportedly received a significant "positive feedback" from online commenters.
However, various brands have likewise encountered backlash for employing the technique in marketing. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics described as "cheap" and "disturbing".
The episode highlights the continuing discussion within the marketing and production industries about the trade-off between technological innovation and creative integrity.
