McDonald's has pulled a holiday commercial made using AI after facing significant public disapproval.
The short ad was produced with the help of generative AI clips and was originally published publicly for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Audience Response and Removal
Soon after it aired, commenters criticized the use of AI in the film. Several called it "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This experience represents an valuable lesson as we explore the effective application of AI," commented a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was created for the brand by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of things that can go wrong during the Christmas break, with the theme "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI-Generated Ads
Commercials that incorporate AI-created content have become a growing trend among prominent corporations, notably for the holiday campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has recently launched consecutive AI-generated Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: As videos produced using generative AI are prone to degrade the longer they run, most such clips tend to be only short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised fears about automation in the creative industry, with some observers pointing out it might negatively impact work for camera crews.
Response from the Production Company
Following the video's removal, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
According to her, the creation required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "numerous versions" which were then shaped in post-production "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't just an AI gimmick," she said. "It was a film."
Mixed Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was predominantly criticized, the response for other AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a significant "favorable response" from viewers.
However, other businesses have also received criticism for using the technique in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics described as "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The situation highlights the continuing debate within the advertising and production industries about the trade-off between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
