McDonald's has taken down a Christmas advert made with AI following receiving considerable criticism on social media.
The short ad was produced using AI video tools and was originally released on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, commenters denounced the implementation of AI in the advert. Several labeled it "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled".
"This incident represents an key lesson as we investigate the proper application of AI," said a spokesperson from the company.
The commercial was created for McDonald's by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of things that can go wrong during the festive season, with the tagline "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that include AI tools have emerged as a increasing phenomenon among large corporations, notably for the Christmas season.
- Coca-Cola has recently released consecutive AI-generated Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Since segments created using current AI video tools are susceptible to become unstable the more extended they are, most such clips tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also sparked fears about job displacement in the creative industry, with some commenters stating it might affect work for production staff.
Defense from the Creators
Following the video's removal, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
According to her, the creation took "over a month and a half" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then edited afterward "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This was not an AI trick," she commented. "We consider it a finished piece."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was largely criticized, the sentiment for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas spot from Coca-Cola reportedly received a significant "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, other businesses have likewise encountered scrutiny for employing AI in their campaigns. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics described as "cheap" and "uncanny".
The episode illustrates the evolving discussion within the marketing and creative industries about the trade-off between new tools and creative integrity.
