The global fast-food chain has taken down a Christmas commercial produced using Artificial Intelligence after receiving widespread online backlash.
The 45-second spot was created using AI video tools and was first published publicly for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Social Media Criticism and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, audiences online lambasted the use of AI in the commercial. A number of called it "uncanny" and "jarringly assembled".
"This moment is an important lesson as we explore the effective use of generative technology," said a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was developed for the brand by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of situations that might go awry during the Christmas break, with the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
The Movement of AI in Advertising
Commercials that incorporate AI tools have emerged as a growing trend among prominent brands, particularly for the holiday campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has recently launched consecutive AI-generated Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: As clips created using generative AI are susceptible to degrade the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also raised concerns about automation in the creative sector, with some critics noting it might affect work for production staff.
Response from the Creators
After the video's removal, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
According to her, the development required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "numerous versions" which were then shaped during the edit "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," she commented. "It was a film."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was largely criticized, the response for some AI-generated holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday ad from another major brand reportedly achieved a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, several companies have also faced scrutiny for using AI in marketing. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics called "cheap" and "uncanny".
The episode underscores the evolving debate within the marketing and creative sectors about the trade-off between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
