McDonald's has pulled a holiday advert made using Artificial Intelligence after encountering significant online backlash.
The 45-second film was created with the help of AI-generated video and was first published online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Social Media Criticism and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, audiences online denounced the employment of AI in the film. A number of labeled it "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident serves as an important lesson as we investigate the appropriate utilization of Artificial Intelligence," stated a representative from the company.
The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of things that might go awry over the holidays, with the theme "the most terrible time of the year".
The Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Commercials that include AI-created content have emerged as a rising phenomenon among prominent companies, notably for the holiday period.
- Another beverage giant has recently launched consecutive AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Technical Challenges: Because segments produced using generative AI are more likely to degrade the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be roughly six to 10 seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also sparked concerns about the replacement of human roles in the creative industry, with some observers stating it could reduce work for production staff.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
According to her, the production process required "over a month and a half" and involved creating "thousands of takes" which were then edited during the edit "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," she commented. "The result was a finished piece."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the sentiment for some AI-assisted campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas ad from Coca-Cola reportedly received a significant "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, several companies have likewise received criticism for employing AI in marketing. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some called "cheap" and "disturbing".
The episode illustrates the continuing discussion within the marketing and production sectors about the trade-off between new tools and human craftsmanship.
