McDonald's has pulled a Christmas commercial created using AI following encountering significant public disapproval.
The short spot was created with the help of generative AI clips and was initially released online for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Viewer Reaction and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, commenters lambasted the employment of AI in the film. Many described it as "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This incident serves as an important lesson as we explore the appropriate utilization of AI," commented a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was produced for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of scenarios that often go badly over the holidays, under the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI Commercials
Commercials that incorporate AI tools have emerged as a growing trend among major corporations, notably for the Christmas campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has recently released back-to-back AI-generated holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Since segments produced using generative AI are susceptible to distort the more extended they are, most such clips tend to be roughly six to 10 seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised concerns about automation in the production industry, with some critics noting it might negatively impact opportunities for actors.
Defense from the Creators
Following the video's removal, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
According to her, the creation took "seven weeks" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then crafted in post-production "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," she commented. "We consider it a film."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the reception for some AI-generated holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas spot from another major brand reportedly garnered a 61% "positive feedback" from viewers.
However, other businesses have also faced criticism for using the technique in their campaigns. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that some described as "lazy" and "uncanny".
The situation underscores the evolving discussion within the marketing and creative industries about the trade-off between AI efficiency and creative integrity.
