McDonald's has taken down a Christmas commercial produced with Artificial Intelligence after encountering widespread criticism on social media.
The short ad was developed via AI video tools and was first published publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Social Media Criticism and Removal
Shortly after its release, commenters lambasted the implementation of AI in the advert. A number of labeled it "uncanny" and "poorly edited".
"This moment is an important lesson as we examine the effective application of Artificial Intelligence," stated a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was produced for the brand by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of situations that might go awry over the festive season, under the theme "the most terrible time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that include AI-created content have emerged as a growing trend among major brands, particularly for the Christmas season.
- Another beverage giant has recently released consecutive AI-created Christmas ads.
- Technical Challenges: Because segments created using current AI video tools are prone to become unstable the longer they run, the majority of such clips tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked worries about automation in the creative sector, with some observers pointing out it could reduce opportunities for production staff.
Defense from the Creators
After the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
According to her, the development took "over a month and a half" and involved producing "thousands of takes" which were then shaped afterward "just as we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an AI gimmick," she said. "It was a film."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was predominantly criticized, the response for other AI-generated campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday spot from another major brand according to analysis received a significant "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have also encountered criticism for using AI in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that some called "cheap" and "disturbing".
The incident underscores the ongoing discussion within the advertising and production sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and creative integrity.
