The global fast-food chain has pulled a holiday commercial made with Artificial Intelligence following facing widespread online backlash.
The short ad was created using generative AI clips and was first released on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, viewers on social media lambasted the employment of AI in the commercial. A number of described it as "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident is an key lesson as we examine the appropriate use of AI," commented a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was developed for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It showed various situations that can go wrong over the holidays, under the slogan "the most terrible time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI-Generated Ads
Campaigns that incorporate AI tools have become a rising phenomenon among major brands, particularly for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has also launched back-to-back AI-created holiday commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: As videos produced using generative AI are prone to distort the longer they run, the majority of such clips tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also raised concerns about the replacement of human roles in the creative sector, with some observers stating it could negatively impact opportunities for production staff.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
Bridge claimed, the development required "over a month and a half" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then shaped afterward "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This was not an AI gimmick," Bridge asserted. "The result was a proper commercial."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was largely panned, the response for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday ad from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a significant "positive feedback" from the public.
However, various brands have likewise faced criticism for employing AI in advertising. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics called "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The incident underscores the evolving conversation within the marketing and production industries about the balance between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
