McDonald's Pulls AI-Created Christmas Ad After Public Outcry.
The global fast-food chain has taken down a holiday advertisement made with Artificial Intelligence after facing significant online backlash.
The short ad was developed via AI video tools and was initially released on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, audiences online criticized the employment of AI in the film. Several described it as "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This experience serves as an important lesson as we examine the effective utilization of Artificial Intelligence," stated a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of things that often go badly during the Christmas break, under the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
The Phenomenon of AI Commercials
Commercials that include AI-created content have become a growing phenomenon among large companies, especially for the holiday campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has similarly launched consecutive AI-created holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Because clips created using current AI video tools are more likely to become unstable the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be about short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also sparked concerns about automation in the advertising sector, with some commenters stating it could negatively impact work for actors.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the video's removal, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
According to her, the development required "seven weeks" and involved creating "numerous versions" which were then edited during the edit "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This was not an AI gimmick," Bridge asserted. "It was a film."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was largely panned, the reception for other AI-generated holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas ad from Coca-Cola reportedly garnered a 61% "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, other businesses have likewise encountered scrutiny for employing AI in advertising. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics described as "lazy" and "disturbing".
The situation illustrates the continuing conversation within the advertising and production sectors about the balance between AI efficiency and audience reception.
