The global fast-food chain has removed a holiday advertisement created via Artificial Intelligence after receiving significant public disapproval.
The brief spot was produced with the help of AI video tools and was initially released online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Response and Removal
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media denounced the use of AI in the advert. Several called it "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience serves as an valuable lesson as we investigate the appropriate application of Artificial Intelligence," said a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was produced for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various things that might go awry during the festive season, using the theme "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI in Advertising
Adverts that include AI tools have become a growing trend among large companies, particularly for the Christmas campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly launched back-to-back AI-created Christmas ads.
- Technical Challenges: As clips made using current AI video tools are susceptible to become unstable the longer they run, most such clips tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also raised worries about job displacement in the advertising industry, with some observers noting it could negatively impact opportunities for production staff.
Response from the Creators
After the commercial being pulled, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
She stated, the production process took "seven weeks" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then shaped afterward "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't just an experiment," she commented. "We consider it a finished piece."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was predominantly panned, the response for other AI-generated campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday spot from Coca-Cola reportedly garnered a 61% "positive feedback" from online commenters.
However, several companies have also received scrutiny for using the technique in advertising. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that some described as "cheap" and "uncanny".
The episode illustrates the evolving conversation within the advertising and creative sectors about the balance between new tools and human craftsmanship.
