McDonald's has taken down a Christmas advert produced using generative AI after facing widespread criticism on social media.
The short ad was developed via generative AI clips and was initially uploaded publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Response and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, viewers on social media denounced the employment of AI in the advert. Several described it as "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident is an valuable learning as we investigate the effective application of generative technology," said a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was created for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It showed a series of situations that can go wrong during the festive season, under the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Movement of AI in Advertising
Commercials that feature AI-created content have emerged as a rising phenomenon among large brands, particularly for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has also released consecutive AI-generated holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: Because videos produced with generative AI are susceptible to become unstable the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be about short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also provoked concerns about automation in the advertising sector, with some observers pointing out it could reduce work for production staff.
Response from the Creators
Following the commercial being pulled, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
According to her, the development took "seven weeks" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then crafted during the edit "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "We consider it a finished piece."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was mostly panned, the sentiment for other AI-generated holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated Christmas ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis achieved a significant "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, several companies have likewise encountered scrutiny for employing AI in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that some described as "lazy" and "uncanny".
The episode illustrates the continuing conversation within the marketing and creative sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and creative integrity.
