The global fast-food chain has taken down a Christmas commercial produced via Artificial Intelligence after receiving widespread public disapproval.
The short film was created using AI video tools and was initially published publicly for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, viewers on social media criticized the implementation of AI in the film. A number of called it "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident is an important learning as we investigate the effective utilization of Artificial Intelligence," commented a representative from the company.
The advert was created for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of situations that often go badly during the festive season, with the slogan "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI Commercials
Adverts that include AI tools have emerged as a increasing phenomenon among major brands, especially for the holiday period.
- Coca-Cola has recently launched consecutive AI-created holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Because clips produced using current AI video tools are prone to degrade the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also sparked concerns about job displacement in the production industry, with some critics noting it could reduce work for actors.
Response from the Production Company
Following the video's removal, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
Bridge claimed, the production process required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "thousands of takes" which were then edited afterward "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," she commented. "The result was a film."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was largely criticized, the sentiment for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a significant "positive feedback" from online commenters.
However, several companies have likewise received backlash for employing AI in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some called "lazy" and "disturbing".
The episode underscores the continuing debate within the marketing and creative industries about the trade-off between technological innovation and creative integrity.
