The global fast-food chain has taken down a Christmas commercial produced using Artificial Intelligence after encountering significant criticism on social media.
The brief ad was developed using AI video tools and was initially released on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Audience Response and Removal
Following its publication, viewers on social media denounced the implementation of AI in the film. Several called it "uncanny" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience serves as an important learning as we explore the proper application of generative technology," stated a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was developed for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It depicted various scenarios that might go awry during the holidays, with the theme "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Commercials that feature AI tools have emerged as a growing trend among large companies, particularly for the Christmas season.
- Coca-Cola has also released back-to-back AI-created holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: As videos created with generative AI are susceptible to become unstable the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also provoked concerns about the replacement of human roles in the production sector, with some observers noting it might affect work for actors.
Response from the Production Company
Following the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
She stated, the creation took "seven weeks" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then crafted afterward "just as we would on any standard production".
"This was not an experiment," she commented. "We consider it a proper commercial."
Mixed Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the sentiment for other AI-generated campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas spot from Coca-Cola reportedly received a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from the public.
However, various brands have likewise encountered scrutiny for using AI in their campaigns. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some called "lazy" and "uncanny".
The situation highlights the evolving conversation within the marketing and creative industries about the balance between technological innovation and creative integrity.
