McDonald's has pulled a holiday advertisement made with AI after receiving widespread public disapproval.
The brief ad was developed using generative AI clips and was originally released on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Audience Reaction and Removal
Shortly after its release, audiences online lambasted the implementation of AI in the advert. A number of described it as "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience is an key learning as we investigate the effective utilization of generative technology," said a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was created for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It showed various scenarios that might go awry during the holidays, using the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI Commercials
Adverts that include AI tools have become a increasing phenomenon among prominent corporations, particularly for the holiday season.
- Coca-Cola has also released consecutive AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: As videos produced using generative AI are susceptible to distort the longer they run, most such clips tend to be about short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also raised concerns about job displacement in the advertising sector, with some commenters stating it might affect work for camera crews.
Defense from the Creators
After the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
She stated, the production process required "over a month and a half" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then edited in post-production "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an AI gimmick," she said. "We consider it a proper commercial."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was largely panned, the sentiment for some AI-generated holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday spot from Coca-Cola reportedly garnered a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, other businesses have also faced scrutiny for using the technique in marketing. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics called "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The incident underscores the continuing debate within the marketing and creative sectors about the balance between new tools and creative integrity.
