The global fast-food chain has pulled a holiday advert made via generative AI after facing considerable criticism on social media.
The 45-second film was produced with the help of generative AI clips and was originally published on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Response and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, audiences online lambasted the use of AI in the advert. Several called it "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This incident is an valuable lesson as we examine the proper utilization of generative technology," commented a representative from the company.
The commercial was developed for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It showed various scenarios that might go awry during the holidays, under the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI in Advertising
Adverts that feature generative AI have become a rising trend among prominent companies, especially for the Christmas campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has recently released back-to-back AI-created holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: Because videos created with current AI video tools are susceptible to become unstable the more extended they are, most such clips tend to be about six to 10 seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised worries about job displacement in the production sector, with some observers stating it could affect work for actors.
Response from the Creators
Following the video's removal, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
Bridge claimed, the creation took "over a month and a half" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then crafted in post-production "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't an experiment," she said. "It was a finished piece."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the reception for some AI-generated campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas spot from another major brand according to analysis achieved a 61% "favorable response" from viewers.
However, various brands have likewise faced backlash for using the technique in marketing. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that some called "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The incident underscores the evolving conversation within the advertising and production industries about the trade-off between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
