The global fast-food chain has pulled a holiday advert produced with Artificial Intelligence following receiving significant online backlash.
The short ad was produced with the help of AI video tools and was initially published publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, audiences online lambasted the use of AI in the advert. A number of described it as "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience represents an key lesson as we investigate the appropriate use of generative technology," stated a statement from the company.
The advert was developed for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed various scenarios that might go awry during the holidays, using the slogan "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI-Generated Ads
Adverts that include AI tools have become a increasing phenomenon among major corporations, notably for the Christmas season.
- Coca-Cola has also launched consecutive AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: As segments produced with generative AI are susceptible to degrade the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly short in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also sparked worries about job displacement in the advertising industry, with some commenters stating it could negatively impact work for camera crews.
Response from the Creators
After the commercial being pulled, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
Bridge claimed, the development required "over a month and a half" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then shaped afterward "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "The result was a finished piece."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was largely panned, the response for other AI-generated campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday spot from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, several companies have likewise encountered criticism for employing the technique in marketing. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that some called "lazy" and "disturbing".
The situation illustrates the evolving debate within the advertising and production industries about the balance between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
