McDonald's has pulled a holiday advertisement created using AI after encountering significant public disapproval.
The short film was developed using AI video tools and was first released publicly for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Audience Reaction and Removal
Soon after it aired, viewers on social media criticized the implementation of AI in the commercial. Several labeled it "uncanny" and "poorly edited".
"This experience is an important lesson as we investigate the appropriate utilization of generative technology," said a representative from the company.
The advert was produced for McDonald's by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of scenarios that often go badly over the Christmas break, with the theme "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that include AI tools have become a increasing phenomenon among prominent brands, particularly for the holiday campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has similarly launched consecutive AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Since clips created with current AI video tools are more likely to become unstable the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be only short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also provoked concerns about job displacement in the production sector, with some commenters noting it might negatively impact work for production staff.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
Bridge claimed, the production process required "over a month and a half" and involved creating "thousands of takes" which were then shaped in post-production "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't an experiment," she said. "The result was a film."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was predominantly panned, the reception for other AI-generated holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis achieved a 61% "favorable response" from the public.
However, various brands have also received backlash for using AI in their campaigns. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics described as "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The episode illustrates the evolving discussion within the advertising and creative industries about the trade-off between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
