McDonald's has taken down a Christmas commercial produced using AI after receiving considerable online backlash.
The brief film was created via generative AI clips and was first published online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, commenters lambasted the implementation of AI in the advert. Several labeled it "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident represents an key learning as we examine the proper utilization of AI," said a representative from the company.
The commercial was created for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It depicted various things that often go badly during the Christmas break, using the slogan "the most terrible time of the year".
The Movement of AI Commercials
Commercials that incorporate AI-created content have become a increasing trend among prominent corporations, especially for the Christmas season.
- Coca-Cola has recently released back-to-back AI-generated Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Since segments created with generative AI are susceptible to distort the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be roughly six to 10 seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also provoked fears about automation in the creative industry, with some observers pointing out it could negatively impact work for camera crews.
Response from the Production Company
After the commercial being pulled, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
She stated, the development took "seven weeks" and involved producing "thousands of takes" which were then crafted in post-production "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't an AI gimmick," she commented. "The result was a film."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's ad was mostly criticized, the response for some AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas ad from another major brand reportedly achieved a 61% "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have likewise faced backlash for employing AI in their campaigns. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that some called "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The incident highlights the evolving discussion within the advertising and creative industries about the trade-off between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
