The global fast-food chain has removed a Christmas commercial created with generative AI after encountering considerable online backlash.
The short spot was created using AI-generated video and was initially published online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Response and Removal
Following its publication, audiences online denounced the employment of AI in the advert. Many called it "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident serves as an key learning as we investigate the appropriate use of AI," said a representative from the company.
The advert was produced for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of things that often go badly during the Christmas break, using the theme "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that incorporate AI-created content have become a rising trend among prominent brands, notably for the holiday campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has recently launched consecutive AI-created holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: As clips produced with generative AI are susceptible to become unstable the longer they run, most such clips tend to be roughly short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also provoked worries about the replacement of human roles in the creative industry, with some observers noting it could affect work for actors.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
She stated, the production process required "seven weeks" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then edited afterward "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This was not an experiment," she said. "It was a film."
Mixed Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was predominantly criticized, the response for other AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas spot from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a 61% "favorable response" from the public.
However, other businesses have likewise encountered scrutiny for using AI in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics called "cheap" and "disturbing".
The episode underscores the continuing discussion within the marketing and production industries about the trade-off between new tools and creative integrity.
