McDonald's Takes Down Artificial Intelligence Christmas Ad After Backlash.
The global fast-food chain has pulled a Christmas commercial created with generative AI following receiving significant public disapproval.
The brief ad was created using AI video tools and was originally published publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Reaction and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media criticized the employment of AI in the film. Several labeled it "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This experience represents an important learning as we explore the proper use of AI," commented a representative from the company.
The advert was developed for McDonald's by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various scenarios that can go wrong during the Christmas break, under the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI in Advertising
Adverts that incorporate generative AI have become a increasing phenomenon among major corporations, notably for the holiday campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has recently released consecutive AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Technical Challenges: Since videos created using current AI video tools are more likely to distort the more extended they are, the majority of such clips tend to be only short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also raised fears about automation in the production sector, with some critics pointing out it could affect work for actors.
Response from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
She stated, the creation took "seven weeks" and involved generating "numerous versions" which were then edited during the edit "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an AI gimmick," she commented. "The result was a film."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was predominantly panned, the sentiment for other AI-generated holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday ad from another major brand reportedly achieved a significant "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, several companies have likewise faced backlash for using the technique in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some described as "lazy" and "uncanny".
The incident underscores the continuing debate within the marketing and creative sectors about the balance between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
