McDonald's has taken down a holiday advert produced using Artificial Intelligence following encountering considerable online backlash.
The brief film was developed with the help of generative AI clips and was initially released on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Removal
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media criticized the employment of AI in the film. Many called it "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled".
"This moment serves as an important lesson as we explore the effective utilization of AI," said a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was developed for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It showed a series of situations that often go badly during the festive season, under the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI in Advertising
Adverts that incorporate generative AI have become a increasing phenomenon among large companies, notably for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has also launched back-to-back AI-created holiday commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Because segments produced with generative AI are more likely to degrade the more extended they are, the majority of such clips tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked fears about job displacement in the creative sector, with some critics stating it could affect work for actors.
Response from the Production Company
Following the ad being taken down, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
According to her, the development required "seven weeks" and involved generating "countless iterations" which were then crafted during the edit "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 criticized, the response for some AI-generated holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas ad from another major brand according to analysis garnered a significant "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have also encountered scrutiny for using the technique in marketing. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics described as "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The situation illustrates the ongoing debate within the advertising and creative sectors about the trade-off between new tools and creative integrity.
