McDonald's has removed a holiday commercial created via AI following encountering considerable online backlash.
The brief spot was produced using AI video tools and was first released publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Response and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, audiences online criticized the use of AI in the film. Many labeled it "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This experience represents an valuable learning as we examine the proper utilization of Artificial Intelligence," commented a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was developed for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of scenarios that might go awry over the holidays, under the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI-Generated Ads
Adverts that include AI tools have become a increasing trend among large corporations, particularly for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has similarly released consecutive AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Since videos created with current AI video tools are prone to become unstable the more extended they are, most such clips tend to be roughly a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also sparked fears about automation in the advertising sector, with some commenters noting it could reduce work for production staff.
Response from the Creators
Following the ad being taken down, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
Bridge claimed, the creation required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "thousands of takes" which were then crafted afterward "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This was not an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "The result was a film."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was largely panned, the response for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday ad from another major brand reportedly received a 61% "positive feedback" from the public.
However, several companies have also received scrutiny for using the technique in marketing. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics described as "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The episode underscores the evolving conversation within the marketing and creative industries about the balance between AI efficiency and creative integrity.
