The global fast-food chain has taken down a holiday advert produced using AI after receiving significant online backlash.
The 45-second ad was produced with the help of generative AI clips and was initially published publicly for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, commenters criticized the employment of AI in the film. A number of called it "uncanny" and "poorly edited".
"This moment serves as an key lesson as we investigate the appropriate application of AI," commented a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was developed for McDonald's by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of things that can go wrong during the Christmas break, using the slogan "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI Commercials
Commercials that incorporate generative AI have emerged as a increasing phenomenon among major brands, especially for the Christmas season.
- Another beverage giant has similarly launched back-to-back AI-generated Christmas commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Since segments created with generative AI are prone to degrade the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be roughly short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked worries about job displacement in the advertising sector, with some commenters stating it might affect work for camera crews.
Response from the Creators
After the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
Bridge claimed, the creation took "over a month and a half" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then shaped during the edit "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This was not an experiment," she commented. "The result was a film."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was largely panned, the response for some AI-generated holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas spot from another major brand reportedly garnered a significant "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, various brands have likewise received scrutiny for employing AI in advertising. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics described as "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The episode underscores the continuing conversation within the marketing and production sectors about the balance between technological innovation and creative integrity.
