McDonald's has taken down a holiday advertisement produced using AI after receiving considerable online backlash.
The 45-second spot was created using AI video tools and was originally published on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Social Media Criticism and Removal
Following its publication, audiences online lambasted the implementation of AI in the advert. A number of described it as "uncanny" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience is an important learning as we explore the effective use of Artificial Intelligence," stated a spokesperson from the company.
The advert was produced for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed various things that might go awry during the holidays, with the tagline "the worst time of the year".
The Trend of AI Commercials
Campaigns that include AI-created content have become a growing phenomenon among prominent corporations, especially for the holiday period.
- Coca-Cola has also released consecutive AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Since clips created using current AI video tools are prone to degrade the more extended they are, most such clips tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also raised worries about automation in the advertising industry, with some commenters pointing out it could negatively impact work for production staff.
Defense from the Creators
After the video's removal, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
Bridge claimed, the production process took "seven weeks" and involved producing "thousands of takes" which were then shaped in post-production "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't an AI gimmick," Bridge asserted. "The result was a film."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was largely criticized, the reception for some AI-generated campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday ad from another major brand reportedly received a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, several companies have also received criticism for employing the technique in advertising. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics called "lazy" and "disturbing".
The situation underscores the ongoing debate within the marketing and production industries about the trade-off between technological innovation and creative integrity.
