The global fast-food chain has pulled a holiday advertisement created via AI following encountering widespread online backlash.
The short spot was created via generative AI clips and was initially uploaded online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, audiences online denounced the employment of AI in the film. A number of called it "uncanny" and "poorly edited".
"This incident represents an important lesson as we explore the effective utilization of AI," stated a spokesperson from the company.
The advert was created for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various things that can go wrong during the holidays, using the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI-Generated Ads
Campaigns that incorporate AI tools have become a rising phenomenon among major brands, notably for the Christmas season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly released consecutive AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Because videos produced using generative AI are susceptible to become unstable the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be roughly a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised concerns about job displacement in the creative sector, with some observers stating it might negatively impact opportunities for actors.
Defense from the Creators
Following the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
Bridge claimed, the development took "seven weeks" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then shaped during the edit "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't an experiment," she commented. "The result was a proper commercial."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was mostly panned, the response for other AI-generated holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday spot from another major brand according to analysis garnered a significant "positive feedback" from the public.
However, several companies have also encountered scrutiny for employing AI in marketing. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics described as "lazy" and "uncanny".
The episode highlights the continuing debate within the marketing and production sectors about the trade-off between AI efficiency and audience reception.
