The global fast-food chain has removed a holiday commercial produced using generative AI after facing widespread online backlash.
The brief ad was developed with the help of generative AI clips and was first uploaded publicly for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Removal
Following its publication, audiences online lambasted the implementation of AI in the advert. Several called it "uncanny" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience serves as an key lesson as we explore the effective use of generative technology," stated a representative from the company.
The commercial was created for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It showed various scenarios that might go awry over the holidays, using the tagline "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Commercials that incorporate AI tools have become a increasing trend among major corporations, especially for the Christmas season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly launched consecutive AI-created holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: As segments produced with generative AI are prone to distort the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly six to 10 seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also sparked worries about the replacement of human roles in the production sector, with some commenters noting it might affect work for production staff.
Defense from the Creators
Following the ad being taken down, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
Bridge claimed, the production process took "seven weeks" and involved producing "thousands of takes" which were then shaped afterward "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," she commented. "It was a film."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was largely panned, the response for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday ad from another major brand according to analysis achieved a significant "favorable response" from viewers.
However, various brands have likewise faced backlash for employing the technique in advertising. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics called "lazy" and "disturbing".
The incident highlights the continuing conversation within the advertising and creative industries about the trade-off between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
