McDonald's Netherlands Removes AI-Created Holiday Commercial In the Wake of Public Outcry.
The global fast-food chain has pulled a Christmas advert made with AI following facing significant criticism on social media.
The brief film was developed with the help of AI-generated video and was originally published publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Social Media Response and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, commenters lambasted the implementation of AI in the advert. A number of labeled it "uncanny" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience serves as an valuable lesson as we explore the effective use of generative technology," stated a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was developed for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It showed various scenarios that can go wrong during the Christmas break, under the theme "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Movement of AI Commercials
Adverts that incorporate AI tools have become a rising trend among major companies, particularly for the holiday period.
- Another beverage giant has also released consecutive AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Since clips produced using generative AI are more likely to distort the more extended they are, most such clips tend to be about short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The video also provoked worries about job displacement in the creative sector, with some critics stating it might reduce work for camera crews.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the video's removal, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
According to her, the creation took "over a month and a half" and involved generating "numerous versions" which were then edited in post-production "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an AI gimmick," she said. "It was a proper commercial."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was mostly panned, the sentiment for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday ad from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a significant "favorable response" from online commenters.
However, several companies have also received scrutiny for using the technique in advertising. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that some called "lazy" and "uncanny".
The incident underscores the continuing debate within the marketing and creative industries about the balance between AI efficiency and creative integrity.
