The global fast-food chain has pulled a holiday advertisement created via Artificial Intelligence after receiving widespread public disapproval.
The brief spot was produced using generative AI clips and was originally released publicly for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, viewers on social media denounced the use of AI in the advert. Several described it as "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This incident represents an important learning as we explore the effective utilization of Artificial Intelligence," stated 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 situations that can go wrong during the festive season, under the tagline "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI-Generated Ads
Campaigns that include AI tools have become a rising phenomenon among major brands, especially for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has recently released back-to-back AI-generated Christmas commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: As videos produced with current AI video tools are susceptible to degrade the more extended they are, most such clips tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked worries about the replacement of human roles in the advertising industry, with some observers pointing out it might negatively impact work for production staff.
Response from the Creators
Following the ad being taken down, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
According to her, the development took "seven weeks" and involved creating "numerous versions" which were then crafted in post-production "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an experiment," she said. "It was a film."
Mixed Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was predominantly criticized, the reception for some AI-generated campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas ad from Coca-Cola reportedly received a significant "favorable response" from the public.
However, various brands have also encountered scrutiny for using AI in marketing. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics described as "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The situation highlights the evolving discussion within the marketing and production sectors about the balance between new tools and human craftsmanship.
