The global fast-food chain has removed a Christmas commercial produced via Artificial Intelligence following facing considerable public disapproval.
The brief film was created using AI video tools and was originally released on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Social Media Response and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, viewers on social media lambasted the use of AI in the advert. Many labeled it "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This incident is an key lesson as we examine the appropriate utilization of AI," commented a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was created for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It showed various scenarios that might go awry over the Christmas break, with the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Movement of AI Commercials
Campaigns that incorporate AI-created content have emerged as a growing phenomenon among major brands, particularly for the Christmas season.
- Another beverage giant has also released back-to-back AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Since clips made using current AI video tools are more likely to degrade the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be only six to 10 seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked fears about automation in the creative industry, with some observers noting it might reduce work for production staff.
Defense from the Production Company
After the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
She stated, the production process took "over a month and a half" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then crafted afterward "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't an AI gimmick," she said. "It was a proper commercial."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was largely criticized, the reception for other AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas spot from another major brand according to analysis garnered a 61% "positive feedback" from the public.
However, other businesses have likewise encountered scrutiny for using AI in marketing. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that some called "lazy" and "uncanny".
The episode illustrates the ongoing discussion within the marketing and production sectors about the balance between new tools and creative integrity.
