The global fast-food chain has taken down a Christmas advert produced using Artificial Intelligence after facing considerable criticism on social media.
The brief spot was produced via generative AI clips and was first uploaded on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Audience Response and Removal
Soon after it aired, commenters lambasted the employment of AI in the film. Many called it "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident is an key learning as we investigate the effective application of AI," stated a spokesperson from the company.
The advert was created for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of things that might go awry during the Christmas break, under the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI Commercials
Campaigns that feature AI-created content have emerged as a rising phenomenon among major companies, especially for the Christmas campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly released consecutive AI-created holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Since clips made with current AI video tools are prone to degrade the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be only short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also sparked fears about automation in the creative industry, with some observers stating it might negatively impact opportunities for production staff.
Defense from the Creators
After the video's removal, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
According to her, the production process took "seven weeks" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then crafted during the edit "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," she said. "It was a finished piece."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was mostly criticized, the reception for other AI-generated campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis achieved a significant "positive feedback" from online commenters.
However, various brands have also encountered scrutiny for employing the technique in their campaigns. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics described as "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The situation highlights the ongoing debate within the marketing and production sectors about the balance between new tools and human craftsmanship.
