The global fast-food chain has taken down a Christmas advertisement created with AI following facing significant public disapproval.
The brief spot was developed using AI video tools and was initially uploaded on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Social Media Criticism and Removal
Soon after it aired, commenters denounced the use of AI in the film. Several labeled it "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled".
"This moment serves as an key learning as we investigate the proper use of Artificial Intelligence," stated a representative from the company.
The commercial was created for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed various scenarios that can go wrong over the festive season, under the theme "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that incorporate AI tools have emerged as a increasing trend among large corporations, especially for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has similarly launched back-to-back AI-generated Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Since clips made using current AI video tools are susceptible to degrade the longer they run, the majority of such clips tend to be roughly short in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also raised worries about job displacement in the production sector, with some observers pointing out it could reduce work for actors.
Defense from the Production Company
After the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
She stated, the development required "over a month and a half" and involved creating "thousands of takes" which were then crafted afterward "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This was not an AI trick," she commented. "We consider it a film."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the response for some AI-generated campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis achieved a 61% "positive feedback" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have also faced scrutiny for using the technique in advertising. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics described as "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The episode illustrates the continuing debate within the advertising and production industries about the balance between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
