McDonald's has removed a Christmas advert made via Artificial Intelligence following facing significant online backlash.
The short spot was developed using generative AI clips and was first released on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Social Media Criticism and Removal
Soon after it aired, viewers on social media criticized the use of AI in the film. Several labeled it "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident represents an key learning as we investigate the proper utilization of Artificial Intelligence," commented a statement from the company.
The advert was developed for McDonald's by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of scenarios that might go awry over the Christmas break, under the tagline "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI-Generated Ads
Adverts that feature AI-created content have emerged as a rising trend among large corporations, notably for the Christmas campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has recently released back-to-back AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: As videos made with generative AI are susceptible to degrade the more extended they are, most such clips tend to be roughly short in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also provoked concerns about the replacement of human roles in the production industry, with some critics pointing out it could affect work for production staff.
Response from the Production Company
Following the video's removal, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
She stated, the development took "seven weeks" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then crafted in post-production "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "The result was a finished piece."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was predominantly panned, the response for some AI-generated holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas spot from another major brand reportedly received a significant "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have also received backlash for using the technique in advertising. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics described as "lazy" and "uncanny".
The situation underscores the continuing discussion within the marketing and production industries about the balance between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
