McDonald's has taken down a holiday advertisement created via Artificial Intelligence following receiving considerable criticism on social media.
The 45-second film was produced with the help of AI video tools and was originally published online for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Social Media Reaction and Removal
Soon after it aired, audiences online lambasted the use of AI in the commercial. A number of called it "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident represents an key lesson as we investigate the proper application of AI," said a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was developed for McDonald's by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various things that can go wrong over the festive season, with the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI in Advertising
Adverts that incorporate AI tools have become a increasing trend among major brands, particularly for the Christmas season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly released consecutive AI-created holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: As videos made with current AI video tools are more likely to become unstable the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be roughly short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also raised fears about the replacement of human roles in the advertising industry, with some commenters stating it might negatively impact work for camera crews.
Defense from the Production Company
After the commercial being pulled, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
According to her, the creation took "seven weeks" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then crafted in post-production "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "We consider it a film."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was largely panned, the response for other AI-generated campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a significant "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, several companies have also received backlash for using AI in advertising. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that some called "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The episode underscores the evolving debate within the advertising and creative industries about the balance between AI efficiency and creative integrity.
