The global fast-food chain has removed a Christmas commercial made via AI after facing considerable public disapproval.
The brief film was developed via AI video tools and was originally uploaded on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, audiences online criticized the employment of AI in the commercial. Many called it "uncanny" and "poorly edited".
"This moment represents an valuable lesson as we investigate the appropriate application of Artificial Intelligence," said a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was developed for McDonald's by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It depicted various situations that often go badly over the festive season, with the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
The Trend of AI Commercials
Campaigns that incorporate generative AI have emerged as a increasing trend among prominent companies, notably for the Christmas campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has recently launched consecutive AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Since videos made with current AI video tools are susceptible to distort the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also provoked concerns about the replacement of human roles in the advertising sector, with some critics stating it might negatively impact opportunities for production staff.
Response from the Production Company
After the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
According to her, the development required "seven weeks" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then crafted afterward "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," she commented. "The result was a finished piece."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was mostly panned, the reception for other AI-generated campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated Christmas spot from another major brand reportedly garnered a significant "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have likewise faced criticism for using the technique in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics called "cheap" and "uncanny".
The situation illustrates the evolving discussion within the advertising and creative industries about the trade-off between AI efficiency and audience reception.
