The global fast-food chain has removed a holiday advertisement created using Artificial Intelligence after facing significant online backlash.
The brief spot was developed via AI-generated video and was initially published online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, commenters denounced the use of AI in the commercial. A number of called it "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This moment is an important learning as we investigate the appropriate application of AI," said a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It showed a series of scenarios that can go wrong during the festive season, using the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
The Movement of AI Commercials
Commercials that include AI tools have emerged as a rising phenomenon among prominent companies, notably for the holiday campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has similarly launched back-to-back AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Because segments made using current AI video tools are prone to degrade the longer they run, most such clips tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also raised concerns about automation in the production industry, with some observers noting it could reduce opportunities for actors.
Defense from the Creators
Following the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
She stated, the creation required "over a month and a half" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then crafted during the edit "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an AI gimmick," Bridge asserted. "The result was a proper commercial."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's ad was mostly panned, the response for some AI-assisted campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday ad from another major brand reportedly received a 61% "positive feedback" from the public.
However, other businesses have also faced criticism for employing the technique in marketing. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics described as "lazy" and "uncanny".
The situation illustrates the continuing conversation within the marketing and creative industries about the balance between AI efficiency and audience reception.
