McDonald's has taken down a Christmas commercial made using AI following receiving significant online backlash.
The short film was produced using AI-generated video and was originally released online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, audiences online criticized the employment of AI in the commercial. Many described it as "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident serves as an valuable lesson as we investigate the proper application of AI," said a representative from the company.
The commercial was produced for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It showed various things that often go badly during the holidays, with the slogan "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI Commercials
Commercials that include AI tools have emerged as a growing phenomenon among prominent companies, especially for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has similarly released consecutive AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Since clips created using current AI video tools are prone to degrade the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be about short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also sparked concerns about the replacement of human roles in the creative sector, with some commenters pointing out it could affect opportunities for camera crews.
Defense from the Creators
After the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
Bridge claimed, the development required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then shaped afterward "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't an experiment," she commented. "It was a proper commercial."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was largely criticized, the reception for some AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis garnered a significant "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, several companies have also encountered scrutiny for using the technique in advertising. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some called "cheap" and "uncanny".
The episode underscores the continuing discussion within the marketing and creative industries about the balance between new tools and human craftsmanship.
