McDonald's has taken down a holiday advert made using Artificial Intelligence following receiving considerable public disapproval.
The short ad was created using generative AI clips and was first uploaded online for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Audience Response and Removal
Shortly after its release, commenters criticized the implementation of AI in the commercial. Several described it as "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This moment is an key lesson as we explore the proper utilization of AI," stated a statement from the company.
The advert was produced for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various things that can go wrong over the Christmas break, with the tagline "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that feature generative AI have become a increasing phenomenon among prominent corporations, especially for the Christmas campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has also released back-to-back AI-created holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Since clips created with current AI video tools are susceptible to degrade the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also provoked concerns about the replacement of human roles in the production sector, with some critics pointing out it could negatively impact opportunities for actors.
Defense from the Production Company
After the video's removal, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
She stated, the production process required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then crafted during the edit "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This was not an experiment," she said. "It was a film."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was largely panned, the reception for some AI-generated campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a 61% "positive feedback" from online commenters.
However, several companies have also encountered criticism for employing AI in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some called "lazy" and "uncanny".
The situation illustrates the evolving discussion within the marketing and production sectors about the balance between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
