McDonald's has taken down a holiday advertisement made with AI after receiving significant criticism on social media.
The brief ad was produced via generative AI clips and was initially published publicly for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, commenters lambasted the use of AI in the film. Several labeled it "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".
"This incident serves as an valuable learning as we investigate the proper application of Artificial Intelligence," said a representative from the company.
The advert was developed for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of things that can go wrong over the festive season, using the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI Commercials
Adverts that incorporate AI-created content have become a rising trend among large brands, notably for the holiday period.
- Coca-Cola has similarly released consecutive AI-generated Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: As segments produced with current AI video tools are prone to degrade the longer they run, most such clips tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also sparked fears about automation in the production industry, with some critics stating it might reduce work for actors.
Defense from the Production Company
After the commercial being pulled, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
Bridge claimed, the production process required "over a month and a half" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then shaped in post-production "just as we would on any standard production".
"This was not an AI trick," she said. "The result was a proper commercial."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was largely panned, the reception for other AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis garnered a 61% "favorable response" from viewers.
However, various brands have also received criticism for employing the technique in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics described as "lazy" and "uncanny".
The incident underscores the ongoing conversation within the advertising and production sectors about the balance between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
