The Fast-Food Giant Removes AI-Generated Christmas Ad After Public Outcry.
The global fast-food chain has removed a Christmas advertisement created with Artificial Intelligence following facing significant online backlash.
The brief ad was produced with the help of generative AI clips and was first uploaded on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Viewer Reaction and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, viewers on social media denounced the employment of AI in the advert. Many described it as "uncanny" and "jarringly assembled".
"This moment represents an valuable lesson as we explore the proper use of AI," commented a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was produced for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It depicted various scenarios that can go wrong during the Christmas break, with the theme "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI-Generated Ads
Commercials that include generative AI have emerged as a increasing trend among large brands, notably for the Christmas campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has also released back-to-back AI-created holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Because clips produced with generative AI are susceptible to degrade the more extended they are, most such clips tend to be only six to 10 seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also provoked concerns about job displacement in the advertising sector, with some observers pointing out it could affect opportunities for actors.
Defense from the Production Company
After the video's removal, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
She stated, the development took "over a month and a half" and involved creating "numerous versions" which were then crafted in post-production "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an experiment," she commented. "It was a film."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was largely criticized, the response for other AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas spot from Coca-Cola reportedly garnered a significant "positive sentiment rating" from the public.
However, other businesses have likewise received backlash for using the technique in advertising. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that some called "lazy" and "uncanny".
The episode illustrates the evolving conversation within the marketing and creative industries about the trade-off between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.