McDonald's has removed a holiday commercial created with generative AI following encountering widespread criticism on social media.
The brief ad was produced using AI-generated video and was originally released on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Response and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, commenters denounced the use of AI in the advert. A number of labeled it "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This moment serves as an important learning as we explore the effective use of Artificial Intelligence," stated a representative from the company.
The commercial was produced for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of situations that can go wrong during the holidays, under the slogan "the worst time of the year".
The Movement of AI in Advertising
Commercials that incorporate AI tools have emerged as a growing trend among prominent corporations, particularly for the Christmas period.
- Coca-Cola has recently launched consecutive AI-created Christmas ads.
- Technical Challenges: Because clips produced with generative AI are prone to degrade the longer they run, most such clips tend to be about short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised fears about the replacement of human roles in the creative industry, with some commenters stating it could negatively impact opportunities for production staff.
Response from the Creators
Following the video's removal, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
Bridge claimed, the production process required "seven weeks" and involved generating "numerous versions" which were then crafted during the edit "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," she said. "It was a proper commercial."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was largely panned, the response for other AI-generated campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday spot from another major brand reportedly achieved a significant "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, several companies have also faced backlash for employing the technique in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics called "cheap" and "disturbing".
The episode highlights the ongoing discussion within the advertising and creative sectors about the balance between new tools and audience reception.
