The global fast-food chain has taken down a Christmas advert created with AI after receiving widespread criticism on social media.
The short film was developed via AI video tools and was first published on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, audiences online lambasted the use of AI in the film. A number of described it as "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This experience represents an valuable learning as we investigate the effective application of Artificial Intelligence," stated a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was produced for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of situations that might go awry during the festive season, using the slogan "the worst time of the year".
The Trend of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that feature generative AI have emerged as a increasing trend among prominent brands, especially for the Christmas period.
- Coca-Cola has similarly launched consecutive AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Technical Challenges: Since segments made using current AI video tools are prone to degrade 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 fears about the replacement of human roles in the advertising sector, with some observers noting it might affect opportunities for camera crews.
Defense from the Creators
After the video's removal, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
She stated, the creation took "over a month and a half" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then crafted afterward "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't just an AI gimmick," she said. "We consider it a proper commercial."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was predominantly criticized, the response for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday spot from another major brand reportedly garnered a 61% "favorable response" from the public.
However, other businesses have likewise received criticism for using the technique in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics described as "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The episode highlights the continuing discussion within the marketing and creative sectors about the balance between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
