McDonald's has taken down a holiday advertisement produced via generative AI following receiving considerable online backlash.
The brief spot was developed via generative AI clips and was first published online for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Social Media Reaction and Removal
Shortly after its release, commenters lambasted the use of AI in the commercial. Several labeled it "uncanny" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This experience represents an important lesson as we investigate the effective application of generative technology," said a spokesperson from the company.
The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of situations that might go awry during the holidays, under the slogan "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI Commercials
Adverts that incorporate AI tools have emerged as a rising trend among major corporations, notably for the holiday campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has also launched consecutive AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Because segments produced using generative AI are susceptible to become unstable the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be about a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also sparked fears about the replacement of human roles in the production industry, with some critics stating it might reduce work for actors.
Response from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
She stated, the production process took "seven weeks" and involved creating "numerous versions" which were then edited in post-production "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an experiment," she commented. "The result was a finished piece."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's ad was predominantly panned, the reception for some AI-generated campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a significant "positive feedback" from the public.
However, various brands have also encountered scrutiny for using the technique in their campaigns. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics described as "lazy" and "disturbing".
The situation underscores the ongoing debate within the marketing and production sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
