The global fast-food chain has pulled a holiday advert produced with Artificial Intelligence after receiving widespread criticism on social media.
The 45-second ad was produced with the help of AI-generated video and was originally released online for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Removal
Shortly after its release, audiences online criticized the use of AI in the commercial. Many labeled it "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience is an valuable lesson as we examine the proper use of generative technology," commented a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was produced for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various things that might go awry during the festive season, under the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that include AI-created content have emerged as a rising trend among prominent corporations, particularly for the holiday period.
- Another beverage giant has recently launched consecutive AI-created holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: As clips produced using current AI video tools are prone to degrade the more extended they are, the majority of such clips tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also provoked fears about job displacement in the production sector, with some commenters stating it could affect opportunities for camera crews.
Defense from the Production Company
After the commercial being pulled, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
She stated, the development required "seven weeks" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then edited afterward "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an experiment," she commented. "It was a film."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was largely panned, the response for some AI-generated campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas ad from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a significant "favorable response" from viewers.
However, other businesses have also faced scrutiny for using the technique in marketing. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics called "lazy" and "disturbing".
The situation illustrates the continuing debate within the advertising and creative industries about the trade-off between new tools and human craftsmanship.
