The global fast-food chain has taken down a holiday commercial produced with AI following encountering considerable public disapproval.
The 45-second spot was developed with the help of AI video tools and was originally uploaded on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Social Media Response and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media criticized the employment of AI in the commercial. Many labeled it "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This experience represents an key learning as we investigate the effective application of generative technology," stated a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was developed for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of scenarios that often go badly during the holidays, using the tagline "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI Commercials
Commercials that include AI tools have emerged as a rising trend among large companies, especially for the Christmas campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has also released consecutive AI-generated holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: As clips produced using generative AI are more likely to become unstable the more extended they are, most such clips tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also sparked worries about job displacement in the creative sector, with some critics pointing out it might reduce opportunities for production staff.
Response from the Production Company
After the video's removal, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
Bridge claimed, the production process took "seven weeks" and involved generating "numerous versions" which were then edited during the edit "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This was not an experiment," she commented. "It was a proper commercial."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was mostly panned, the response for some AI-generated campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated Christmas spot from Coca-Cola reportedly received a significant "positive feedback" from the public.
However, several companies have also received criticism for employing AI in marketing. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that some described as "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The incident underscores the evolving conversation within the advertising and creative sectors about the balance between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
