McDonald's has pulled a holiday advert made using Artificial Intelligence following encountering considerable public disapproval.
The brief film was created using generative AI clips and was first released on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Removal
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media denounced the implementation of AI in the film. A number of called it "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".
"This moment is an important learning as we explore the appropriate use of generative technology," said a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was produced for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It showed a series of things that often go badly during the Christmas break, with the theme "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI Commercials
Commercials that include AI tools have emerged as a rising trend among prominent corporations, particularly for the holiday season.
- Another beverage giant has recently launched back-to-back AI-created holiday commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Since clips created using generative AI are susceptible to distort the more extended they are, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised fears about the replacement of human roles in the production sector, with some observers noting it could reduce work for production staff.
Response from the Creators
After the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
Bridge claimed, the creation required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then edited afterward "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "The result was a proper commercial."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was mostly panned, the reception for some AI-generated campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday ad from Coca-Cola reportedly received a significant "positive sentiment rating" from the public.
However, various brands have also received backlash for employing the technique in advertising. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics called "lazy" and "disturbing".
The situation underscores the continuing discussion within the marketing and creative sectors about the trade-off between AI efficiency and creative integrity.
