McDonald's has removed a Christmas advertisement made via Artificial Intelligence following receiving significant criticism on social media.
The brief spot was created using generative AI clips and was initially published publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Reaction and Removal
Shortly after its release, audiences online denounced the employment of AI in the commercial. A number of described it as "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident is an valuable learning as we explore the appropriate use of AI," said a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was produced for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It depicted various things that often go badly over the Christmas break, using the theme "the worst time of the year".
The Movement of AI in Advertising
Commercials that incorporate AI-created content have become a increasing trend among large companies, particularly for the holiday campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has also launched consecutive AI-created holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Since videos created with generative AI are prone to become unstable the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be only short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also sparked concerns about the replacement of human roles in the production sector, with some critics stating it could reduce work for production staff.
Response from the Production Company
Following the video's removal, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
According to her, the creation required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then edited in post-production "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This was not an experiment," Bridge asserted. "We consider it a proper commercial."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was mostly criticized, the response for some AI-generated campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday spot from another major brand according to analysis garnered a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have also faced backlash for employing AI in marketing. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some called "cheap" and "uncanny".
The situation illustrates the ongoing discussion within the advertising and creative sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and audience reception.
