McDonald's has taken down a Christmas commercial made using AI following encountering significant online backlash.
The brief ad was created via AI video tools and was initially published on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Social Media Response and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, commenters denounced the employment of AI in the film. Several described it as "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience serves as an important learning as we explore the appropriate application of AI," commented a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was developed for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of scenarios that often go badly during the festive season, under the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI-Generated Ads
Campaigns that feature AI-created content have become a rising trend among large brands, especially for the holiday period.
- Another beverage giant has recently released back-to-back AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Because clips made using generative AI are prone to distort the more extended they are, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be about six to 10 seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also sparked fears about the replacement of human roles in the advertising sector, with some observers pointing out it could reduce opportunities for production staff.
Defense from the Production Company
After the ad being taken down, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
According to her, the development took "seven weeks" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then edited during the edit "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," she said. "The result was a film."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's ad was mostly criticized, the reception for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday ad from another major brand reportedly achieved a 61% "positive feedback" from the public.
However, several companies have also faced criticism for using AI in their campaigns. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some described as "lazy" and "disturbing".
The episode illustrates the evolving discussion within the marketing and creative industries about the balance between AI efficiency and audience reception.
