The global fast-food chain has taken down a holiday advertisement produced via AI after receiving considerable criticism on social media.
The 45-second film was created using AI video tools and was originally released on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Removal
Soon after it aired, audiences online criticized the implementation of AI in the commercial. Several called it "uncanny" and "poorly edited".
"This experience represents an key lesson as we explore the appropriate use of Artificial Intelligence," said a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was produced for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It depicted various things that can go wrong during the holidays, using the slogan "the most terrible time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI Commercials
Commercials that feature AI-created content have emerged as a growing trend among major corporations, notably for the Christmas period.
- Coca-Cola has recently released consecutive AI-generated Christmas commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: As clips made with current AI video tools are prone to degrade the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be only six to 10 seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also provoked fears about job displacement in the production industry, with some observers pointing out it could negatively impact opportunities for camera crews.
Response from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
She stated, the development took "seven weeks" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then edited in post-production "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't just an experiment," she commented. "The result was a film."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was predominantly criticized, the reception for some AI-generated campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday ad from Coca-Cola reportedly received a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, other businesses have likewise faced backlash for using AI in their campaigns. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that some called "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The incident highlights the continuing discussion within the marketing and production industries about the balance between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
