McDonald's has pulled a holiday advertisement produced using Artificial Intelligence following receiving widespread public disapproval.
The short ad was developed with the help of AI video tools and was originally uploaded online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Audience Response and Removal
Shortly after its release, viewers on social media criticized the employment of AI in the commercial. Several labeled it "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This experience represents an valuable lesson as we examine the effective use of AI," stated a spokesperson from the company.
The advert was developed for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed various situations that might go awry over the festive season, under the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI in Advertising
Commercials that include generative AI have become a growing trend among large companies, notably for the holiday period.
- Another beverage giant has also released consecutive AI-created holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: As clips created using current AI video tools are more likely to become unstable the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be only short in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also sparked fears about job displacement in the production industry, with some critics pointing out it could reduce opportunities for actors.
Defense from the Production Company
After the ad being taken down, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
She stated, the creation took "seven weeks" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then shaped in post-production "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an AI gimmick," she commented. "It was a finished piece."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was largely criticized, the reception for some AI-generated campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated Christmas spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis achieved a significant "positive feedback" from the public.
However, several companies have likewise faced scrutiny for using AI in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics called "cheap" and "disturbing".
The incident underscores the continuing debate within the advertising and production industries about the trade-off between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
