McDonald's has pulled a Christmas advert made with AI following encountering widespread criticism on social media.
The short spot was developed via generative AI clips and was first published publicly for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Audience Response and Removal
Soon after it aired, viewers on social media denounced the employment of AI in the commercial. Many described it as "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This moment is an valuable learning as we investigate the effective application of generative technology," commented a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was developed for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various things that can go wrong during the holidays, under the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
The Trend of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that feature generative AI have become a increasing phenomenon among major companies, notably for the Christmas period.
- Coca-Cola has recently launched consecutive AI-generated Christmas commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Since clips created using current AI video tools are susceptible to become unstable the more extended they are, the majority of such clips tend to be only short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also sparked concerns about job displacement in the creative industry, with some observers pointing out it might affect opportunities for production staff.
Defense from the Creators
Following the video's removal, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
She stated, the development required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "numerous versions" which were then edited in post-production "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an AI gimmick," she said. "We consider it a proper commercial."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was largely criticized, the sentiment for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday spot from another major brand according to analysis received a significant "positive feedback" from online commenters.
However, several companies have likewise received scrutiny for using the technique in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that some called "lazy" and "uncanny".
The incident underscores the continuing debate within the marketing and production industries about the trade-off between AI efficiency and audience reception.
