McDonald's has removed a holiday advertisement created with generative AI after encountering widespread criticism on social media.
The 45-second spot was developed via generative AI clips and was originally released online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Response and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, audiences online lambasted the use of AI in the commercial. Many labeled it "uncanny" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience serves as an important lesson as we investigate the appropriate use of generative technology," commented a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was developed for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various scenarios that might go awry over the festive season, under the slogan "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Adverts that include AI-created content have become a growing phenomenon among major companies, especially for the Christmas campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has also released back-to-back AI-created holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: As videos produced with generative AI are prone to become unstable the longer they run, most such clips tend to be roughly short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked worries about job displacement in the production industry, with some commenters pointing out it might affect work for camera crews.
Response from the Creators
Following the ad being taken down, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
Bridge claimed, the production process required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "thousands of takes" which were then edited in post-production "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This was not an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "We consider it a proper commercial."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was mostly criticized, the sentiment for some AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday spot from another major brand according to analysis received a 61% "favorable response" from viewers.
However, various brands have also faced scrutiny for using AI in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that some described as "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The situation highlights the ongoing discussion within the advertising and creative sectors about the balance between AI efficiency and creative integrity.
