McDonald's has removed a Christmas advert produced via AI after receiving considerable online backlash.
The short ad was created with the help of generative AI clips and was first uploaded online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Social Media Response and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, commenters criticized the employment of AI in the film. Many called it "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This moment represents an valuable learning as we explore the appropriate utilization of AI," said a statement from the company.
The advert was produced for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of things that might go awry over the Christmas break, under the theme "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Campaigns that include generative AI have emerged as a increasing trend among prominent corporations, especially for the Christmas period.
- Coca-Cola has also launched back-to-back AI-created holiday commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Since clips produced with generative AI are susceptible to degrade the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be about short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also raised concerns about the replacement of human roles in the production industry, with some commenters pointing out it could reduce opportunities for production staff.
Defense from the Creators
After the video's removal, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
She stated, the production process required "over a month and a half" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then crafted in post-production "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," she commented. "The result was a finished piece."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was mostly criticized, the response for some AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas spot from another major brand reportedly received a 61% "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, various brands have likewise encountered scrutiny for using the technique in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some called "lazy" and "uncanny".
The situation highlights the continuing discussion within the advertising and creative sectors about the trade-off between AI efficiency and audience reception.
