McDonald's has removed a Christmas commercial produced using Artificial Intelligence following receiving considerable public disapproval.
The 45-second ad was created using AI video tools and was initially released publicly for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, viewers on social media criticized the use of AI in the advert. Many described it as "uncanny" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience represents an valuable learning as we explore the effective use of generative technology," said a spokesperson from the company.
The commercial was developed for the brand by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of things that might go awry during the festive season, with the slogan "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI-Generated Ads
Adverts that feature generative AI have emerged as a growing phenomenon among large corporations, notably for the Christmas campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has also launched back-to-back AI-created Christmas ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Since videos produced with current AI video tools are more likely to become unstable the more extended they are, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly short in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also provoked worries about job displacement in the production industry, with some commenters noting it might negatively impact opportunities for production staff.
Defense from the Creators
After the video's removal, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
She stated, the creation took "over a month and a half" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then edited during the edit "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," she said. "It was a proper commercial."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the sentiment for some AI-generated campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas ad from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, several companies have also encountered scrutiny for employing AI in advertising. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics described as "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The incident illustrates the continuing discussion within the advertising and production sectors about the balance between new tools and human craftsmanship.
