McDonald's has taken down a holiday advertisement made via generative AI following facing considerable public disapproval.
The brief ad was developed via generative AI clips and was originally uploaded publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Social Media Criticism and Removal
Following its publication, viewers on social media criticized the employment of AI in the film. A number of described it as "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident is an important learning as we investigate the proper use of AI," stated a statement from the company.
The advert was developed for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It depicted various things that can go wrong over the Christmas break, with the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Trend of AI Commercials
Commercials that incorporate generative AI have emerged as a rising trend among large companies, especially for the holiday campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has also launched back-to-back AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Since videos created using generative AI are prone to degrade the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also sparked worries about job displacement in the production industry, with some critics pointing out it could negatively impact opportunities for camera crews.
Response from the Creators
After the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
Bridge claimed, the development required "seven weeks" and involved generating "countless iterations" which were then edited in post-production "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an experiment," she said. "We consider it a finished piece."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's ad was predominantly criticized, the reception for other AI-generated holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated Christmas ad from another major brand reportedly achieved a 61% "positive feedback" from viewers.
However, other businesses have likewise faced criticism for using the technique in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that some described as "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The episode illustrates the continuing discussion within the advertising and production sectors about the trade-off between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
