The global fast-food chain has pulled a holiday advert created using generative AI after encountering significant criticism on social media.
The short spot was produced via generative AI clips and was initially uploaded online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Reaction and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, commenters lambasted the employment of AI in the advert. A number of labeled it "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience serves as an valuable lesson as we explore the proper use of Artificial Intelligence," said a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was developed for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed various scenarios that can go wrong over the festive season, using the theme "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Trend of AI in Advertising
Commercials that incorporate generative AI have emerged as a increasing phenomenon among prominent corporations, particularly for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has similarly launched back-to-back AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Because clips produced with current AI video tools are more likely to distort the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be about short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised fears about the replacement of human roles in the advertising sector, with some commenters stating it could affect work for production staff.
Response from the Creators
Following the ad being taken down, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
According to her, the creation required "over a month and a half" and involved generating "countless iterations" which were then crafted during the edit "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't just an experiment," she said. "We consider it a finished piece."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was predominantly criticized, the response for other AI-generated holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated Christmas ad from another major brand according to analysis achieved a 61% "positive feedback" from viewers.
However, several companies have also received criticism for employing the technique in marketing. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics described as "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The incident underscores the continuing debate within the marketing and creative industries about the balance between new tools and human craftsmanship.
