The global fast-food chain has taken down a holiday advertisement made using Artificial Intelligence following facing considerable criticism on social media.
The short ad was developed using AI-generated video and was first released publicly for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Audience Reaction and Removal
Shortly after its release, commenters criticized the use of AI in the commercial. Many called it "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This incident represents an key learning as we explore the appropriate utilization of AI," stated a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was created for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It showed various situations that might go awry during the Christmas break, using the tagline "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI Commercials
Commercials that include AI-created content have emerged as a growing trend among prominent brands, particularly for the Christmas campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has also released consecutive AI-created holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: As segments created with current AI video tools are susceptible to become unstable the more extended they are, the majority of such clips tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also sparked concerns about the replacement of human roles in the production sector, with some commenters stating it could negatively impact opportunities for camera crews.
Response from the Creators
After the video's removal, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
Bridge claimed, the creation took "over a month and a half" and involved generating "numerous versions" which were then crafted in post-production "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," she commented. "We consider it a proper commercial."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was largely panned, the reception for other AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas ad from another major brand according to analysis achieved a 61% "positive feedback" from the public.
However, other businesses have also encountered criticism for using AI in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some described as "cheap" and "uncanny".
The situation illustrates the continuing debate within the advertising and production sectors about the trade-off between new tools and creative integrity.
