McDonald's has taken down a Christmas commercial made using AI following receiving considerable public disapproval.
The short ad was produced using AI-generated video and was originally uploaded publicly for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, audiences online denounced the employment of AI in the commercial. A number of called it "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".
"This moment serves as an valuable lesson as we explore the effective utilization of generative technology," said a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was created for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of situations that often go badly over the Christmas break, under the theme "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Trend of AI-Generated Ads
Campaigns that incorporate generative AI have become a increasing trend among major companies, especially for the Christmas season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly launched back-to-back AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Technical Challenges: Because segments made using current AI video tools are susceptible to degrade the more extended they are, the majority of such clips tend to be roughly a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked worries about job displacement in the advertising sector, with some observers pointing out it could affect opportunities for camera crews.
Response from the Creators
After the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
She stated, the production process required "over a month and a half" and involved creating "thousands of takes" which were then crafted in post-production "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "We consider it a proper commercial."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was predominantly panned, the response for other AI-assisted campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas ad from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a 61% "positive feedback" from online commenters.
However, several companies have likewise received scrutiny for using the technique in marketing. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that some described as "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The situation illustrates the ongoing discussion within the advertising and creative industries about the trade-off between AI efficiency and audience reception.
