McDonald's has removed a Christmas commercial created using Artificial Intelligence after receiving widespread public disapproval.
The brief film was developed using AI-generated video and was first published on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Reaction and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, audiences online denounced the employment of AI in the film. Many called it "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled".
"This moment is an key lesson as we investigate the proper application of AI," said a spokesperson from the company.
The advert was developed for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It showed various scenarios that often go badly during the Christmas break, with the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI Commercials
Commercials that feature generative AI have become a rising trend among major brands, especially for the Christmas season.
- Another beverage giant has also released back-to-back AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: As videos created using generative AI are prone to become unstable the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be only short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also provoked worries about job displacement in the production industry, with some observers noting it could negatively impact opportunities for camera crews.
Response from the Creators
Following the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
According to her, the creation took "seven weeks" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then shaped afterward "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't just an experiment," Bridge asserted. "We consider it a finished piece."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's ad was predominantly panned, the reception for some AI-generated holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas ad from Coca-Cola reportedly garnered a 61% "positive feedback" from viewers.
However, several companies have also faced scrutiny for using the technique in marketing. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that some called "lazy" and "uncanny".
The episode illustrates the continuing discussion within the advertising and production sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
