McDonald's has pulled a holiday advertisement made using AI following receiving widespread criticism on social media.
The brief spot was developed using AI-generated video and was first uploaded online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Reaction and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, audiences online criticized the implementation of AI in the advert. A number of labeled it "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This moment serves as an valuable learning as we examine the appropriate use of AI," stated a spokesperson from the company.
The commercial was developed for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It showed various things that might go awry over the holidays, using the slogan "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI Commercials
Campaigns that feature AI tools have become a rising trend among major companies, notably for the Christmas campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly released back-to-back AI-generated holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: Since segments created with generative AI are susceptible to degrade the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be roughly six to 10 seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked concerns about the replacement of human roles in the creative sector, with some observers noting it might reduce work for production staff.
Response from the Creators
Following the video's removal, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
She stated, the creation required "seven weeks" and involved producing "numerous versions" which were then crafted afterward "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an experiment," she said. "The result was a film."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the reception for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis achieved a 61% "favorable response" from viewers.
However, other businesses have likewise encountered criticism for using AI in marketing. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics called "lazy" and "disturbing".
The episode highlights the continuing conversation within the marketing and production sectors about the balance between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
