McDonald's has taken down a holiday advert produced via AI after receiving significant criticism on social media.
The short ad was created via generative AI clips and was initially uploaded publicly for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Social Media Criticism and Removal
Soon after it aired, audiences online lambasted the implementation of AI in the advert. A number of called it "uncanny" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This moment serves as an valuable learning as we examine the proper application of Artificial Intelligence," commented a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was created for McDonald's by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of situations that can go wrong over the festive season, under the slogan "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that feature AI tools have emerged as a increasing trend among large brands, notably for the Christmas season.
- Another beverage giant has similarly launched back-to-back AI-created holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: Because clips created using current AI video tools are prone to distort the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be about six to 10 seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also provoked worries about automation in the production sector, with some commenters stating it might reduce work for actors.
Response from the Creators
After the video's removal, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
She stated, the development took "over a month and a half" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then edited afterward "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," she commented. "It was a proper commercial."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was predominantly panned, the response for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis achieved a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from the public.
However, other businesses have also encountered scrutiny for employing the technique in advertising. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that some described as "lazy" and "uncanny".
The incident highlights the evolving discussion within the marketing and production sectors about the balance between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
