The global fast-food chain has removed a holiday commercial made using Artificial Intelligence following encountering significant online backlash.
The short film was developed with the help of AI video tools and was initially published online for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, audiences online denounced the employment of AI in the commercial. Several described it as "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".
"This incident represents an key lesson as we examine the effective application of AI," said a representative from the company.
The advert was produced for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It showed a series of scenarios that might go awry over the holidays, with the tagline "the worst time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI-Generated Ads
Commercials that include AI-created content have emerged as a increasing phenomenon among major companies, especially for the holiday season.
- Coca-Cola has recently launched back-to-back AI-created holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: As clips produced using generative AI are prone to become unstable the more extended they are, most such clips tend to be about short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also provoked concerns about automation in the production industry, with some observers noting it might affect work for actors.
Response from the Production Company
After the ad being taken down, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
According to her, the creation took "over a month and a half" and involved creating "numerous versions" which were then shaped afterward "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't just an experiment," Bridge asserted. "We consider it a film."
Mixed Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was mostly panned, the response for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas spot from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a 61% "favorable response" from viewers.
However, various brands have likewise received backlash for employing AI in advertising. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some described as "cheap" and "disturbing".
The episode underscores the continuing conversation within the advertising and production sectors about the trade-off between AI efficiency and audience reception.
