McDonald's has pulled a holiday advertisement made with Artificial Intelligence after receiving widespread online backlash.
The short spot was developed with the help of generative AI clips and was first uploaded on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Social Media Response and Removal
Soon after it aired, commenters denounced the use of AI in the film. Several described it as "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This experience is an important learning as we explore the effective use of Artificial Intelligence," commented a representative from the company.
The advert was created for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It depicted various things that might go awry during the holidays, with the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI-Generated Ads
Adverts that feature AI-created content have emerged as a rising phenomenon among prominent brands, notably for the Christmas campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has recently launched back-to-back AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: As videos made using generative AI are more likely to distort the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also raised fears about the replacement of human roles in the advertising industry, with some critics noting it might affect work for camera crews.
Defense from the Creators
After the video's removal, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
According to her, the production process required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "thousands of takes" which were then edited in post-production "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," she said. "We consider it a finished piece."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was mostly panned, the response for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis achieved a significant "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have also faced backlash for employing the technique in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics called "cheap" and "uncanny".
The situation illustrates the ongoing conversation within the marketing and production sectors about the trade-off between AI efficiency and creative integrity.
