The global fast-food chain has pulled a holiday advert created via AI following receiving considerable online backlash.
The short spot was produced with the help of AI-generated video and was initially published on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Viewer Reaction and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, commenters denounced the employment of AI in the advert. Several called it "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This incident represents an important learning as we examine the appropriate use of Artificial Intelligence," commented a statement from the company.
The advert was developed for the brand by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It depicted various situations that might go awry during the festive season, with the theme "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Commercials that include AI-created content have become a rising trend among prominent corporations, especially for the holiday period.
- Another beverage giant has recently released back-to-back AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Since segments produced with generative AI are prone to degrade the longer they run, the majority of such clips tend to be only short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised worries about automation in the creative sector, with some critics stating it might affect opportunities for production staff.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
Bridge claimed, the development took "seven weeks" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then crafted during the edit "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an AI gimmick," she commented. "We consider it a proper commercial."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's ad was predominantly criticized, the response for some AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis achieved a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, other businesses have also encountered scrutiny for employing the technique in advertising. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics called "lazy" and "uncanny".
The episode illustrates the continuing conversation within the marketing and creative industries about the balance between new tools and human craftsmanship.
