The global fast-food chain has pulled a Christmas advert produced with generative AI following facing significant online backlash.
The short film was created with the help of AI-generated video and was originally published publicly for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, commenters lambasted the employment of AI in the advert. A number of called it "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled".
"This incident represents an key lesson as we examine the effective use of AI," commented a spokesperson from the company.
The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of things that often go badly over the Christmas break, under the slogan "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI-Generated Ads
Commercials that incorporate AI-created content have become a growing trend among major companies, especially for the holiday campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has recently launched back-to-back AI-generated holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: Because clips made with current AI video tools are more likely to become unstable the longer they run, most such clips tend to be only short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also raised fears about the replacement of human roles in the production industry, with some critics stating it could negatively impact work for camera crews.
Defense from the Creators
Following the video's removal, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
Bridge claimed, the creation took "over a month and a half" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then edited in post-production "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "We consider it a film."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was largely criticized, the reception for other AI-generated holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas spot from Coca-Cola reportedly received a significant "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, several companies have likewise faced backlash for employing AI in marketing. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that some described as "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The situation highlights the continuing discussion within the advertising and production industries about the balance between technological innovation and creative integrity.
