The global fast-food chain has pulled a Christmas advertisement made with AI following encountering considerable public disapproval.
The short spot was produced with the help of AI-generated video and was originally released on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, audiences online lambasted the implementation of AI in the commercial. Several labeled it "uncanny" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This moment is an key lesson as we investigate the proper utilization of Artificial Intelligence," said a statement from the company.
The advert was developed for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It showed various scenarios that can go wrong over the Christmas break, under the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI Commercials
Adverts that include generative AI have become a rising trend among major brands, particularly for the holiday season.
- Another beverage giant has recently launched consecutive AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Since clips made with current AI video tools are more likely to degrade the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be about short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also raised fears about the replacement of human roles in the production sector, with some critics stating it might reduce work for actors.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the video's removal, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
She stated, the development required "seven weeks" and involved producing "thousands of takes" which were then shaped during the edit "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This was not an AI gimmick," she commented. "The result was a finished piece."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was mostly criticized, the response for other AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a significant "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have also faced scrutiny for employing the technique in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics called "lazy" and "uncanny".
The situation highlights the evolving discussion within the advertising and production industries about the trade-off between new tools and human craftsmanship.
