McDonald's Netherlands Pulls AI-Created Festive Advertisement Following Public Outcry.
McDonald's has removed a holiday commercial made using generative AI after facing considerable public disapproval.
The brief film was created with the help of generative AI clips and was initially uploaded publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Viewer Reaction and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media lambasted the implementation of AI in the advert. A number of described it as "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident is an key learning as we investigate the effective utilization of AI," stated a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was produced for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It showed various things that can go wrong over the holidays, with the tagline "the worst time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI Commercials
Campaigns that incorporate generative AI have emerged as a growing trend among major corporations, notably for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has similarly launched back-to-back AI-created holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: As clips produced with current AI video tools are susceptible to degrade the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be only six to 10 seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also sparked fears about the replacement of human roles in the creative sector, with some commenters pointing out it might affect work for actors.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the video's removal, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
According to her, the development required "over a month and a half" and involved creating "numerous versions" which were then crafted in post-production "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," she said. "It was a film."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was predominantly criticized, the reception for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis garnered a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, other businesses have likewise faced criticism for using the technique in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics called "lazy" and "disturbing".
The episode underscores the continuing debate within the marketing and creative sectors about the trade-off between AI efficiency and audience reception.
