McDonald's Takes Down AI-Generated Holiday Commercial After Online Criticism.
McDonald's has pulled a holiday advertisement created with generative AI after receiving considerable public disapproval.
The 45-second ad was developed using AI video tools and was first released online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, audiences online lambasted the use of AI in the film. Many described it as "uncanny" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience represents an key learning as we explore the appropriate use of generative technology," said a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was created for McDonald's by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It showed various situations that can go wrong over the Christmas break, using the theme "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI Commercials
Adverts that incorporate generative AI have become a increasing trend among major corporations, especially for the holiday season.
- Coca-Cola has recently released back-to-back AI-created holiday commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Because videos created with current AI video tools are prone to degrade the more extended they are, the majority of such clips tend to be roughly short in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also raised fears about job displacement in the advertising sector, with some critics pointing out it might negatively impact work for camera crews.
Response from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
She stated, the creation required "over a month and a half" and involved creating "numerous versions" which were then crafted afterward "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't an experiment," she said. "The result was a film."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was mostly criticized, the sentiment for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas ad from another major brand according to analysis achieved a significant "favorable response" from the public.
However, various brands have likewise received scrutiny for employing AI in advertising. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics described as "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The situation underscores the ongoing debate within the marketing and production industries about the trade-off between new tools and audience reception.
