McDonald's has removed a holiday advertisement made via Artificial Intelligence following receiving widespread public disapproval.
The short ad was created via AI video tools and was first uploaded online for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, commenters lambasted the implementation of AI in the advert. Many described it as "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience represents an important lesson as we explore the effective application of AI," commented a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was created for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It depicted various situations that might go awry during the holidays, under the tagline "the worst time of the year".
The Trend of AI-Generated Ads
Adverts that feature AI tools have emerged as a rising phenomenon among large brands, notably for the Christmas campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has also released back-to-back AI-generated Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Since clips created using generative AI are prone to degrade the more extended they are, the majority of such clips tend to be only short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also sparked concerns about automation in the production sector, with some commenters noting it could negatively impact work for camera crews.
Response from the Creators
Following the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
She stated, the development took "seven weeks" and involved creating "thousands of takes" which were then shaped in post-production "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't an AI gimmick," she commented. "The result was a finished piece."
Mixed Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was predominantly criticized, the reception for some AI-generated campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis achieved a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, various brands have also encountered criticism for employing the technique in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that some described as "cheap" and "uncanny".
The episode illustrates the continuing discussion within the advertising and production industries about the balance between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
