McDonald's has taken down a holiday advertisement made using generative AI after encountering significant online backlash.
The short film was produced using AI-generated video and was first published on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Audience Reaction and Removal
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media lambasted the employment of AI in the advert. Several labeled it "uncanny" and "jarringly assembled".
"This moment represents an valuable learning as we examine the effective utilization of AI," said a representative from the company.
The commercial was created for the brand by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of things that can go wrong during the holidays, with the theme "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI Commercials
Adverts that include generative AI have become a rising trend among major brands, especially for the Christmas campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has recently released back-to-back AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Because videos created using generative AI are more likely to degrade the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly short in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also provoked worries about automation in the production sector, with some observers stating it could reduce opportunities for actors.
Response from the Production Company
Following the video's removal, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
She stated, the creation took "over a month and a half" and involved producing "numerous versions" which were then crafted during the edit "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "It was a finished piece."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was mostly panned, the sentiment for some AI-generated holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday ad from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a 61% "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, various brands have also received scrutiny for employing the technique in their campaigns. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics described as "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The incident highlights the ongoing conversation within the marketing and production industries about the balance between new tools and human craftsmanship.
