McDonald's has taken down a holiday commercial produced with Artificial Intelligence after facing widespread public disapproval.
The brief ad was created using AI-generated video and was initially published on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Audience Reaction and Removal
Soon after it aired, commenters lambasted the use of AI in the advert. A number of called it "uncanny" and "jarringly assembled".
"This incident serves as an valuable learning as we investigate the proper utilization of AI," commented a statement from the company.
The advert was created for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various scenarios that often go badly during the Christmas break, under the tagline "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI in Advertising
Commercials that incorporate AI tools have become a increasing phenomenon among large corporations, notably for the Christmas campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly launched consecutive AI-generated holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: Because videos produced with current AI video tools are more likely to distort the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be about short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also raised worries about job displacement in the advertising industry, with some commenters stating it might reduce work for production staff.
Defense from the Creators
After the ad being taken down, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
According to her, the development took "over a month and a half" and involved producing "numerous versions" which were then edited afterward "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't just an AI gimmick," Bridge asserted. "We consider it a finished piece."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was predominantly criticized, the response for other AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a significant "positive feedback" from viewers.
However, various brands have also faced backlash for using AI in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics called "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The incident underscores the ongoing conversation within the advertising and creative industries about the trade-off between AI efficiency and audience reception.
