McDonald's has removed a holiday advertisement made via AI following receiving widespread online backlash.
The 45-second film was developed with the help of AI video tools and was first uploaded online for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Removal
Shortly after its release, audiences online denounced the employment of AI in the advert. Several described it as "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This experience serves as an important lesson as we investigate the proper use of AI," commented a representative from the company.
The advert was developed for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of things that might go awry over the holidays, under the theme "the most terrible time of the year".
The Movement of AI in Advertising
Commercials that feature AI tools have become a growing trend among large corporations, particularly for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has recently launched back-to-back AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Technical Challenges: Since segments produced with generative AI are susceptible to distort the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also provoked concerns about automation in the advertising sector, with some observers pointing out it could negatively impact work for camera crews.
Response from the Production Company
Following the video's removal, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
According to her, the development required "seven weeks" and involved generating "countless iterations" which were then edited in post-production "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an experiment," she said. "We consider it a proper commercial."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's ad was largely criticized, the reception for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday ad from another major brand according to analysis received a significant "positive sentiment rating" from the public.
However, several companies have also received scrutiny for using AI in their campaigns. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics described as "cheap" and "disturbing".
The situation illustrates the continuing discussion within the marketing and creative industries about the trade-off between technological innovation and creative integrity.
