McDonald's has pulled a holiday advertisement produced with Artificial Intelligence following facing widespread criticism on social media.
The 45-second ad was developed with the help of AI video tools and was originally published on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Removal
Shortly after its release, commenters lambasted the employment of AI in the film. Several called it "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This incident serves as an key lesson as we investigate the effective utilization of Artificial Intelligence," stated a statement from the company.
The advert was developed for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of situations that often go badly during the festive season, with the tagline "the worst time of the year".
The Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Adverts that include AI-created content have become a growing phenomenon among prominent brands, notably for the holiday season.
- Another beverage giant has similarly launched consecutive AI-generated holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Since segments produced with generative AI are susceptible to distort the more extended they are, the majority of such clips tend to be roughly short in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also sparked fears about automation in the creative sector, with some critics pointing out it could affect opportunities for actors.
Response from the Production Company
After the commercial being pulled, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
Bridge claimed, the creation took "seven weeks" and involved generating "countless iterations" which were then crafted in post-production "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't just an AI gimmick," she commented. "We consider it a film."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the sentiment for some AI-generated holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis achieved a significant "positive feedback" from the public.
However, other businesses have also faced criticism for employing the technique in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics described as "cheap" and "uncanny".
The episode illustrates the evolving discussion within the marketing and production industries about the trade-off between technological innovation and audience reception.
