McDonald's has pulled a holiday commercial produced with AI following receiving considerable online backlash.
The 45-second film was developed with the help of AI-generated video and was originally uploaded on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Viewer Reaction and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, commenters criticized the employment of AI in the commercial. Several labeled it "uncanny" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This experience serves as an valuable learning as we explore the appropriate utilization of AI," commented a representative from the company.
The advert was produced for McDonald's by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various situations that might go awry over the holidays, using the theme "the worst time of the year".
The Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Campaigns that incorporate AI tools have become a growing phenomenon among prominent corporations, particularly for the holiday period.
- Another beverage giant has recently released back-to-back AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: As videos produced using current AI video tools are susceptible to degrade the longer they run, most such clips tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised worries about job displacement in the advertising industry, with some commenters noting it might negatively impact opportunities for actors.
Defense from the Production Company
After the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
She stated, the production process required "seven weeks" and involved creating "numerous versions" which were then shaped during the edit "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't just an experiment," she commented. "It was a finished piece."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the response for some AI-generated campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday spot from another major brand according to analysis received a significant "positive sentiment rating" from the public.
However, other businesses have also encountered scrutiny for employing AI in their campaigns. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that some called "lazy" and "uncanny".
The situation illustrates the evolving debate within the marketing and creative industries about the balance between new tools and creative integrity.
