The global fast-food chain has removed a Christmas commercial created with Artificial Intelligence following receiving significant online backlash.
The short spot was developed with the help of AI video tools and was initially uploaded publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Reaction and Removal
Soon after it aired, viewers on social media lambasted the use of AI in the commercial. Many called it "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled".
"This incident serves as an key learning as we examine the effective application of AI," commented a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It showed various things that can go wrong during the festive season, using the slogan "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Phenomenon of AI in Advertising
Campaigns that include AI-created content have emerged as a increasing phenomenon among prominent companies, particularly for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has recently released back-to-back AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Since segments produced with generative AI are susceptible to distort the longer they run, the majority of such clips tend to be about short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also raised worries about job displacement in the creative sector, with some observers pointing out it could reduce work for production staff.
Response from the Creators
After the commercial being pulled, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
Bridge claimed, the production process took "over a month and a half" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then edited afterward "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't just an AI gimmick," Bridge asserted. "The result was a film."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was mostly criticized, the reception for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday spot from another major brand according to analysis garnered a significant "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, various brands have likewise faced backlash for employing AI in their campaigns. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics called "cheap" and "disturbing".
The situation underscores the continuing conversation within the marketing and production industries about the balance between technological innovation and creative integrity.
