McDonald's has taken down a holiday advertisement produced via generative AI following receiving significant public disapproval.
The brief ad was developed with the help of AI video tools and was originally published online for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, viewers on social media lambasted the employment of AI in the commercial. Many labeled it "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident serves as an important lesson as we investigate the appropriate application of AI," stated a statement from the company.
The commercial was produced for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It showed various things that can go wrong over the Christmas break, under the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI Commercials
Commercials that include AI tools have become a growing trend among prominent companies, especially for the Christmas season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly launched back-to-back AI-generated Christmas commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Because segments created with current AI video tools are susceptible to degrade the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly six to 10 seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also raised fears about automation in the advertising industry, with some commenters stating it might reduce opportunities for camera crews.
Defense from the Production Company
After the video's removal, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
She stated, the development took "over a month and a half" and involved producing "thousands of takes" which were then edited afterward "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't just an experiment," she said. "The result was a finished piece."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was mostly panned, the sentiment for other AI-generated campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas ad from Coca-Cola reportedly received a 61% "positive feedback" from viewers.
However, several companies have likewise received backlash for employing the technique in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics described as "cheap" and "uncanny".
The incident underscores the ongoing debate within the advertising and production industries about the balance between new tools and audience reception.
