The global fast-food chain has pulled a holiday advert made with generative AI following receiving widespread public disapproval.
The brief ad was developed using AI video tools and was originally released publicly for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Removal
Shortly after its release, commenters denounced the employment of AI in the commercial. Many described it as "uncanny" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident is an valuable lesson as we explore the effective application of generative technology," said a representative from the company.
The advert was produced for McDonald's by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed various things that can go wrong over the Christmas break, using the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI Commercials
Adverts that incorporate generative AI have become a increasing phenomenon among prominent brands, especially for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has similarly released back-to-back AI-created holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: Since videos created with generative AI are prone to become unstable the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be about six to 10 seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also sparked fears about the replacement of human roles in the creative industry, with some critics pointing out it might affect opportunities for camera crews.
Defense from the Creators
After the commercial being pulled, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
She stated, the production process took "over a month and a half" and involved generating "numerous versions" which were then edited in post-production "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an experiment," she said. "The result was a proper commercial."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was mostly panned, the sentiment for other AI-generated campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a 61% "positive feedback" from viewers.
However, several companies have also faced backlash for employing the technique in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics called "lazy" and "disturbing".
The episode underscores the evolving conversation within the advertising and creative sectors about the trade-off between AI efficiency and creative integrity.
