The global fast-food chain has taken down a holiday commercial made using Artificial Intelligence after encountering significant criticism on social media.
The 45-second film was produced with the help of generative AI clips and was originally uploaded on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Social Media Response and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, audiences online lambasted the employment of AI in the commercial. Many labeled it "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This moment represents an important lesson as we investigate the proper use of Artificial Intelligence," stated a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was produced for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It depicted various situations that might go awry during the Christmas break, using the slogan "the worst time of the year".
The Trend of AI in Advertising
Commercials that include generative AI have emerged as a increasing phenomenon among prominent brands, especially for the Christmas season.
- Coca-Cola has recently released back-to-back AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Technical Challenges: As videos created with current AI video tools are susceptible to become unstable the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be about six to 10 seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also raised concerns about the replacement of human roles in the creative sector, with some critics stating it could reduce work for production staff.
Defense from the Creators
Following the ad being taken down, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
She stated, the production process required "seven weeks" and involved creating "thousands of takes" which were then edited in post-production "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't just an experiment," she said. "The result was a finished piece."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was largely panned, the reception for other AI-assisted campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday spot from Coca-Cola reportedly received a significant "positive feedback" from online commenters.
However, various brands have also encountered backlash for employing the technique in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics called "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The episode underscores the evolving discussion within the marketing and creative sectors about the balance between AI efficiency and audience reception.
