The global fast-food chain has removed a holiday advert produced via Artificial Intelligence after facing considerable public disapproval.
The 45-second film was created with the help of AI-generated video and was originally released on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Audience Reaction and Removal
Soon after it aired, viewers on social media lambasted the use of AI in the advert. Several described it as "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident represents an valuable lesson as we investigate the effective use of generative technology," stated a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was produced for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of scenarios that might go awry over the Christmas break, with the theme "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that include AI tools have become a growing phenomenon among large companies, particularly for the Christmas season.
- Coca-Cola has recently released back-to-back AI-generated Christmas commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Since segments made with current AI video tools are prone to degrade the more extended they are, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be only short in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also provoked worries about job displacement in the creative sector, with some critics noting it might reduce work for production staff.
Defense from the Creators
Following the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
Bridge claimed, the creation required "over a month and a half" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then shaped in post-production "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This was not an AI gimmick," she said. "We consider it a finished piece."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was largely panned, the sentiment for other AI-assisted campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas ad from another major brand according to analysis achieved a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, other businesses have also encountered scrutiny for using AI in marketing. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that some described as "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The incident underscores the evolving conversation within the marketing and production sectors about the balance between new tools and audience reception.
