The global fast-food chain has removed a holiday advert made using Artificial Intelligence after facing considerable public disapproval.
The 45-second ad was developed with the help of AI-generated video and was originally published online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, viewers on social media lambasted the implementation of AI in the advert. Several described it as "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled".
"This incident is an important lesson as we explore the proper utilization of Artificial Intelligence," said a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was created for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It depicted various things that might go awry during the holidays, with the slogan "the worst time of the year".
The Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Campaigns that include generative AI have become a rising trend among major companies, notably for the holiday period.
- Coca-Cola has also released back-to-back AI-generated holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Because videos created using current AI video tools are prone to become unstable the more extended they are, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be about short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also provoked concerns about job displacement in the production sector, with some critics noting it could reduce opportunities for camera crews.
Defense from the Production Company
After the ad being taken down, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
According to her, the creation required "seven weeks" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then shaped during the edit "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "It was a proper commercial."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the response for other AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday spot from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have also encountered scrutiny for employing AI in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics described as "cheap" and "disturbing".
The situation illustrates the continuing debate within the marketing and production sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and creative integrity.
