McDonald's has taken down a Christmas commercial produced via generative AI following encountering significant online backlash.
The brief film was developed via AI video tools and was initially published online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Response and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, audiences online denounced the employment of AI in the commercial. A number of labeled it "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This moment is an valuable lesson as we investigate the proper application of AI," commented a representative from the company.
The advert was developed for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It depicted various situations that often go badly during the holidays, under the theme "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Trend of AI in Advertising
Adverts that feature generative AI have become a increasing trend among large corporations, particularly for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has recently launched back-to-back AI-generated holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: As clips made with generative AI are susceptible to become unstable the more extended they are, the majority of such clips tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also raised concerns about the replacement of human roles in the creative sector, with some commenters noting it could affect work for camera crews.
Defense from the Production Company
After the video's removal, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
According to her, the development took "seven weeks" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then crafted during the edit "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," she commented. "We consider it a finished piece."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's ad was mostly criticized, the sentiment for some AI-generated campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas spot from another major brand according to analysis garnered a significant "positive feedback" from viewers.
However, other businesses have also faced criticism for employing the technique in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics called "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The incident underscores the evolving conversation within the marketing and creative sectors about the balance between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.