The global fast-food chain has removed a Christmas advert produced with Artificial Intelligence after receiving widespread online backlash.
The 45-second film was created via AI video tools and was first uploaded online for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, viewers on social media lambasted the employment of AI in the commercial. Many described it as "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This experience represents an key lesson as we examine the effective application of Artificial Intelligence," commented a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was developed for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It showed various things that can go wrong over the Christmas break, under the theme "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Adverts that incorporate AI tools have emerged as a growing trend among prominent corporations, particularly for the Christmas season.
- Coca-Cola has recently released consecutive AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: As clips produced using current AI video tools are more likely to distort the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also sparked concerns about the replacement of human roles in the production industry, with some critics stating it might reduce work for camera crews.
Response from the Creators
After the video's removal, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
According to her, the creation took "seven weeks" and involved generating "countless iterations" which were then shaped during the edit "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This was not an experiment," Bridge asserted. "The result was a film."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was predominantly criticized, the reception for other AI-generated campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday spot from another major brand according to analysis received a significant "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, several companies have also encountered scrutiny for employing the technique in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that some called "cheap" and "disturbing".
The situation underscores the continuing conversation within the advertising and creative sectors about the balance between technological innovation and creative integrity.
