The global fast-food chain has pulled a holiday advert made via Artificial Intelligence following facing widespread criticism on social media.
The 45-second film was created with the help of AI-generated video and was first released online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Removal
Shortly after its release, audiences online lambasted the use of AI in the film. Many labeled it "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This experience serves as an key learning as we explore the proper utilization of Artificial Intelligence," stated a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was produced for the brand by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It depicted various situations that might go awry during the holidays, under the theme "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Adverts that incorporate AI tools have become a growing trend among large companies, especially for the Christmas period.
- Coca-Cola has recently released consecutive AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: As videos created using current AI video tools are prone to degrade the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be only six to 10 seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked worries about job displacement in the advertising sector, with some observers stating it might negatively impact opportunities for actors.
Defense from the Creators
After the ad being taken down, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
She stated, the development required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "thousands of takes" which were then crafted during the edit "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," she said. "The result was a proper commercial."
Mixed Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was largely panned, the reception for some AI-generated campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a 61% "positive feedback" from viewers.
However, various brands have likewise encountered backlash for employing the technique in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics described as "cheap" and "uncanny".
The situation highlights the evolving discussion within the marketing and creative sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and audience reception.
