McDonald's has removed a holiday advertisement created with generative AI after facing considerable public disapproval.
The 45-second film was created using generative AI clips and was first published on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Social Media Reaction and Removal
Soon after it aired, audiences online lambasted the employment of AI in the commercial. A number of called it "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled".
"This moment represents an important lesson as we examine the proper use of AI," stated a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was created for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It showed various things that can go wrong during the festive season, using the theme "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI-Generated Ads
Commercials that feature generative AI have emerged as a rising phenomenon among major brands, notably for the Christmas campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has recently released consecutive AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: As videos created using generative AI are susceptible to distort the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also sparked fears about the replacement of human roles in the creative industry, with some critics stating it might negatively impact work for production staff.
Response from the Creators
Following the ad being taken down, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
According to her, the production process took "seven weeks" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then edited during the edit "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't just an AI gimmick," she commented. "It was a proper commercial."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the reception for other AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday ad from another major brand according to analysis garnered a 61% "favorable response" from viewers.
However, several companies have likewise received backlash for employing AI in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics described as "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The episode illustrates the ongoing debate within the advertising and creative sectors about the trade-off between AI efficiency and audience reception.
