The global fast-food chain has pulled a holiday advertisement created via generative AI following encountering considerable criticism on social media.
The short ad was developed using AI-generated video and was originally released on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Removal
Shortly after its release, commenters denounced the use of AI in the film. A number of labeled it "uncanny" and "jarringly assembled".
"This moment is an key learning as we investigate the proper application of AI," said a spokesperson from the company.
The advert was developed for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of things that often go badly over the Christmas break, using the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI-Generated Ads
Commercials that incorporate generative AI have become a rising trend among prominent companies, notably for the holiday campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has recently released consecutive AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Inherent Limitations: As segments created using generative AI are susceptible 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 concerns about automation in the creative sector, with some commenters pointing out it might negatively impact work for actors.
Response from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
Bridge claimed, the development required "over a month and a half" and involved creating "thousands of takes" which were then edited in post-production "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an experiment," she commented. "The result was a film."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the sentiment for some AI-assisted campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday spot from another major brand according to analysis received a significant "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, various brands have also faced backlash for employing the technique in marketing. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics described as "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The episode underscores the continuing debate within the marketing and creative sectors about the balance between AI efficiency and creative integrity.