McDonald's has pulled a holiday advertisement made with generative AI following encountering considerable public disapproval.
The brief ad was created via generative AI clips and was first uploaded on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Social Media Response and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, viewers on social media denounced the use of AI in the film. Several labeled it "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This moment is an important lesson as we investigate the appropriate use of generative technology," stated a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was produced for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of situations that often go badly during the festive season, under the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
The Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Campaigns that feature generative AI have emerged as a increasing trend among prominent brands, especially for the Christmas campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has similarly released back-to-back AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: As segments made with generative AI are more likely to become unstable the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised concerns about the replacement of human roles in the creative sector, with some critics pointing out it could affect work for camera crews.
Defense from the Creators
Following the video's removal, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
She stated, the development took "over a month and a half" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then crafted afterward "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This was not an AI gimmick," she commented. "It was a finished piece."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was mostly criticized, the sentiment for other AI-generated campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday spot from Coca-Cola reportedly received a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from the public.
However, various brands have likewise encountered criticism for using the technique in marketing. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics called "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The incident underscores the evolving debate within the marketing and creative sectors about the balance between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
