McDonald's has taken down a Christmas advertisement made using generative AI following facing widespread criticism on social media.
The short film was developed using AI-generated video and was initially released online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Social Media Criticism and Removal
Soon after it aired, audiences online denounced the implementation of AI in the film. A number of called it "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This experience serves as an important learning as we explore the proper application of Artificial Intelligence," stated a representative from the company.
The advert was created for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It showed a series of things that can go wrong during the holidays, with the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Adverts that incorporate AI tools have emerged as a increasing phenomenon among large companies, especially for the holiday season.
- Coca-Cola has recently released consecutive AI-created holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Since clips created using generative AI are more likely to become unstable the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be about six to 10 seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also raised worries about job displacement in the creative industry, with some commenters noting it might reduce work for actors.
Response from the Creators
Following the video's removal, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
She stated, the production process took "over a month and a half" and involved creating "thousands of takes" which were then edited in post-production "just as we would on any standard production".
"This was not an AI trick," she commented. "It was a proper commercial."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's ad was mostly panned, the reception for other AI-assisted campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday spot from Coca-Cola reportedly garnered a 61% "favorable response" from the public.
However, various brands have also encountered criticism for employing the technique in marketing. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics called "lazy" and "uncanny".
The incident underscores the continuing debate within the marketing and creative sectors about the balance between new tools and human craftsmanship.
