McDonald's has pulled a Christmas commercial created with AI after encountering widespread criticism on social media.
The brief spot was produced via AI video tools and was initially published publicly for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Audience Response and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media criticized the implementation of AI in the film. Many labeled it "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This moment represents an valuable learning as we investigate the appropriate application of AI," commented a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of scenarios that might go awry during the holidays, under the slogan "the most terrible time of the year".
The Movement of AI in Advertising
Commercials that feature AI tools have become a rising phenomenon among prominent corporations, notably for the holiday period.
- Coca-Cola has recently launched consecutive AI-generated holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: Since clips made with current AI video tools are prone to become unstable the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be about short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also sparked concerns about job displacement in the creative sector, with some commenters noting it might negatively impact opportunities for camera crews.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
Bridge claimed, the development required "seven weeks" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then crafted in post-production "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't just an AI gimmick," she commented. "The result was a finished piece."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was mostly panned, the sentiment for other AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas spot from another major brand according to analysis received a significant "positive sentiment rating" from the public.
However, various brands have also faced backlash for using AI in advertising. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some called "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The situation underscores the ongoing debate within the marketing and production sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and creative integrity.
