McDonald's has taken down a holiday commercial created with AI after encountering considerable criticism on social media.
The brief spot was produced using AI video tools and was initially released on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, commenters denounced the employment of AI in the film. A number of called it "uncanny" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience serves as an important lesson as we investigate the proper application of generative technology," commented a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was produced for the brand by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of situations that might go awry over the Christmas break, under the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI Commercials
Adverts that incorporate generative AI have become a growing trend among prominent brands, especially for the holiday period.
- Coca-Cola has recently launched consecutive AI-created holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Since videos produced with current AI video tools are susceptible to degrade the more extended they are, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also sparked concerns about the replacement of human roles in the creative industry, with some commenters noting it could affect opportunities for camera crews.
Defense from the Production Company
After the video's removal, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
According to her, the creation took "over a month and a half" and involved generating "numerous versions" which were then edited in post-production "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't an experiment," she commented. "We consider it a film."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was predominantly criticized, the response for some AI-generated holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday spot from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a significant "positive sentiment rating" from the public.
However, various brands have also received scrutiny for employing AI in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that some called "cheap" and "disturbing".
The episode highlights the ongoing conversation within the marketing and creative sectors about the balance between new tools and human craftsmanship.
