McDonald's Pulls AI-Generated Christmas Ad Following Public Outcry.
McDonald's has pulled a holiday advert created via generative AI after encountering considerable public disapproval.
The short ad was created with the help of AI video tools and was initially uploaded online for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Social Media Response and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, commenters lambasted the employment of AI in the commercial. Many labeled it "uncanny" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This experience is an valuable learning as we investigate the appropriate use of AI," said a spokesperson from the company.
The advert was created for the brand by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of scenarios that might go awry during the festive season, using the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI-Generated Ads
Adverts that incorporate AI-created content have become a growing trend among major companies, notably for the holiday period.
- Coca-Cola has also launched back-to-back AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: As segments made using current AI video tools are prone to degrade the longer they run, the majority of such clips tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also sparked fears about job displacement in the advertising sector, with some commenters noting it might negatively impact work for actors.
Response from the Production Company
Following the video's removal, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
She stated, the development took "seven weeks" and involved creating "numerous versions" which were then edited during the edit "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an AI gimmick," she said. "The result was a finished piece."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was largely criticized, the response for other AI-generated campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated Christmas ad from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a significant "positive feedback" from the public.
However, other businesses have also received scrutiny for using AI in marketing. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics called "cheap" and "uncanny".
The situation highlights the evolving conversation within the advertising and production sectors about the balance between AI efficiency and audience reception.