McDonald's has taken down a Christmas advertisement created using generative AI following facing considerable public disapproval.
The 45-second ad was developed with the help of generative AI clips and was first published on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Audience Response and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, viewers on social media criticized the implementation of AI in the commercial. A number of called it "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This experience is an important lesson as we investigate the effective application of generative technology," stated a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was created for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various scenarios that can go wrong during the holidays, using the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Commercials that include generative AI have become a increasing trend among major companies, particularly for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has recently launched back-to-back AI-generated holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: Because clips produced using generative AI are prone to degrade the more extended they are, most such clips tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised worries about automation in the production industry, with some commenters stating it might reduce opportunities for camera crews.
Response from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
She stated, the creation required "over a month and a half" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then shaped during the edit "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an AI gimmick," she commented. "We consider it a film."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was predominantly panned, the reception for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday spot from Coca-Cola reportedly garnered a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have also encountered scrutiny for using the technique in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics called "lazy" and "uncanny".
The incident illustrates the ongoing conversation within the marketing and creative sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and creative integrity.
