The global fast-food chain has taken down a holiday advertisement created with Artificial Intelligence following facing significant online backlash.
The brief film was created with the help of AI-generated video and was originally uploaded on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Removal
Shortly after its release, audiences online criticized the use of AI in the advert. Several described it as "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience represents an key learning as we examine the proper use of AI," stated a statement from the company.
The advert was produced for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of things that can go wrong over the Christmas break, with the tagline "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI Commercials
Campaigns that feature AI tools have become a growing phenomenon among major companies, especially for the Christmas season.
- Another beverage giant has also released consecutive AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Because segments produced using current AI video tools are susceptible to degrade the longer they run, the majority of such clips tend to be roughly a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also provoked fears about the replacement of human roles in the advertising sector, with some observers noting it could reduce opportunities for production staff.
Defense from the Creators
Following the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
She stated, the creation required "seven weeks" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then shaped in post-production "just as we would on any standard production".
"This was not an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "It was a proper commercial."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was largely panned, the sentiment for some AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis achieved a 61% "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, various brands have also encountered backlash for using AI in advertising. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that some described as "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The situation highlights the ongoing discussion within the advertising and production industries about the trade-off between new tools and human craftsmanship.
