McDonald's has removed a Christmas advertisement made with AI after receiving widespread criticism on social media.
The short film was created via AI video tools and was originally published on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Viewer Reaction and Removal
Following its publication, audiences online lambasted the implementation of AI in the commercial. Many labeled it "uncanny" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This experience represents an key lesson as we explore the effective utilization of generative technology," said a spokesperson from the company.
The advert was created for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of scenarios that can go wrong during the Christmas break, under the theme "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI Commercials
Commercials that include AI tools have become a increasing trend among large corporations, notably for the Christmas season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly released consecutive AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Since clips created using current AI video tools are susceptible to become unstable the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be only short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also sparked worries about job displacement in the advertising industry, with some commenters noting it might affect work for camera crews.
Defense from the Creators
Following the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
According to her, the development required "seven weeks" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then crafted in post-production "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an experiment," she commented. "It was a proper commercial."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was mostly panned, the reception for some AI-generated holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas ad from another major brand reportedly garnered a 61% "positive feedback" from viewers.
However, various brands have also faced criticism for using the technique in advertising. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that some described as "cheap" and "disturbing".
The episode underscores the evolving conversation within the marketing and production industries about the trade-off between new tools and creative integrity.
