The global fast-food chain has pulled a holiday advert created via AI following receiving widespread online backlash.
The brief ad was created via AI video tools and was first uploaded publicly for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, viewers on social media denounced the employment of AI in the commercial. A number of called it "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This experience is an key learning as we investigate the appropriate utilization of Artificial Intelligence," said a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was created for the brand by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of situations that often go badly over the festive season, with the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that incorporate generative AI have become a rising trend among large companies, especially for the holiday campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has similarly released consecutive AI-created holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Since clips created with current AI video tools are more likely to become unstable the longer they run, the majority of such clips tend to be about short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also provoked concerns about the replacement of human roles in the creative industry, with some observers stating it could reduce work for actors.
Defense from the Creators
Following the video's removal, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
According to her, the development required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "thousands of takes" which were then edited afterward "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an AI gimmick," she commented. "It was a finished piece."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was predominantly criticized, the response for some AI-generated holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis achieved a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, various brands have also encountered backlash for using AI in marketing. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some called "cheap" and "uncanny".
The episode illustrates the continuing conversation within the marketing and production industries about the balance between AI efficiency and audience reception.
