The global fast-food chain has removed a Christmas commercial produced using generative AI after receiving significant public disapproval.
The 45-second ad was created via AI-generated video and was originally released online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Viewer Reaction and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, audiences online lambasted the implementation of AI in the advert. Several called it "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".
"This incident is an valuable learning as we investigate the appropriate utilization of Artificial Intelligence," said a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of things that often go badly during the Christmas break, using the theme "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI in Advertising
Adverts that incorporate AI tools have emerged as a increasing trend among major companies, notably for the holiday season.
- Coca-Cola has recently launched back-to-back AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Since clips created using generative AI are more likely to degrade the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be roughly short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked concerns about the replacement of human roles in the advertising sector, with some critics noting it could reduce work for production staff.
Response from the Production Company
After the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
Bridge claimed, the creation took "seven weeks" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then crafted afterward "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't just an experiment," Bridge asserted. "It was a finished piece."
Mixed Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was predominantly panned, the response for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday ad from Coca-Cola reportedly received a significant "positive sentiment rating" from the public.
However, several companies have likewise faced criticism for employing the technique in marketing. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics called "cheap" and "disturbing".
The incident highlights the evolving debate within the advertising and production industries about the balance between technological innovation and creative integrity.
