McDonald's has taken down a holiday commercial produced using generative AI after encountering widespread online backlash.
The short spot was produced via AI-generated video and was initially published online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Social Media Reaction and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, audiences online denounced the implementation of AI in the advert. Several labeled it "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This experience is an important learning as we explore the effective use of generative technology," commented a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was produced for the brand by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of scenarios that can go wrong during the festive season, with the slogan "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI Commercials
Adverts that feature generative AI have emerged as a increasing trend among prominent corporations, notably for the holiday season.
- Coca-Cola has recently launched back-to-back AI-created Christmas ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Because videos created using generative AI are prone to degrade the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be roughly six to 10 seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also provoked worries about the replacement of human roles in the advertising industry, with some commenters noting it might reduce work for camera crews.
Defense from the Creators
Following the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
Bridge claimed, the production process required "seven weeks" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then edited in post-production "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an AI gimmick," she commented. "It was a finished piece."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was mostly panned, the sentiment for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday ad from another major brand according to analysis garnered a significant "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, several companies have likewise received backlash for using AI in marketing. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some called "lazy" and "uncanny".
The incident underscores the evolving conversation within the marketing and production industries about the balance between AI efficiency and audience reception.
