The global fast-food chain has removed a holiday advertisement made via AI after facing significant public disapproval.
The brief film was produced with the help of generative AI clips and was originally released publicly for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Social Media Response and Removal
Following its publication, commenters denounced the use of AI in the advert. Several called it "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This experience represents an valuable learning as we investigate the effective application of generative technology," commented a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It showed a series of scenarios that often go badly over the holidays, under the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Adverts that feature generative AI have emerged as a increasing trend among major brands, particularly for the holiday period.
- Another beverage giant has also launched consecutive AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Technical Challenges: As segments produced with generative AI are more likely to degrade the longer they run, most such clips tend to be about short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also raised concerns about the replacement of human roles in the production sector, with some commenters pointing out it might affect work for production staff.
Defense from the Production Company
After the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
She stated, the development took "seven weeks" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then edited afterward "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't just an AI gimmick," Bridge asserted. "The result was a proper commercial."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was mostly panned, the response for other AI-generated campaigns has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday spot from another major brand reportedly received a significant "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters.
However, various brands have also received scrutiny for employing AI in marketing. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that some described as "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The incident highlights the ongoing debate within the marketing and production industries about the balance between technological innovation and creative integrity.
