McDonald's has taken down a holiday advertisement made with generative AI following encountering widespread public disapproval.
The 45-second film was developed using AI-generated video and was originally published on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Social Media Response and Removal
Shortly after its release, audiences online lambasted the employment of AI in the film. A number of labeled it "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled".
"This incident represents an valuable learning as we examine the effective use of Artificial Intelligence," commented a statement from the company.
The commercial was produced for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of situations that might go awry during the festive season, under the theme "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI Commercials
Commercials that feature AI-created content have emerged as a growing phenomenon among major corporations, particularly for the Christmas season.
- Coca-Cola has recently launched back-to-back AI-created holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: Since segments created using current AI video tools are prone to degrade the more extended they are, the majority of such clips tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also raised concerns about automation in the advertising industry, with some critics stating it might negatively impact work for camera crews.
Defense from the Creators
After the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
According to her, the development took "over a month and a half" and involved generating "numerous versions" which were then edited afterward "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This was not an AI gimmick," she commented. "We consider it a finished piece."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was predominantly criticized, the reception for other AI-generated campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas ad from another major brand reportedly garnered a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from the public.
However, other businesses have also faced criticism for using AI in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics described as "lazy" and "uncanny".
The episode highlights the continuing discussion within the marketing and production industries about the trade-off between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
