McDonald's has taken down a holiday advert created using Artificial Intelligence after facing considerable public disapproval.
The short film was produced via AI-generated video and was originally published online for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Removal
Soon after it aired, viewers on social media denounced the use of AI in the film. A number of called it "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This experience is an important lesson as we investigate the appropriate application of generative technology," commented a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was created for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It depicted various things that often go badly over the Christmas break, under the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI Commercials
Adverts that feature AI tools have become a rising phenomenon among prominent companies, especially for the holiday campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has also released consecutive AI-created Christmas ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Since videos produced using current AI video tools are more likely to become unstable the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be only short in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked worries about automation in the creative sector, with some critics stating it might negatively impact opportunities for production staff.
Response from the Production Company
After the video's removal, The Sweetshop's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
According to her, the development took "over a month and a half" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then edited afterward "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't just an experiment," Bridge asserted. "It was a proper commercial."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the sentiment for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis garnered a significant "positive sentiment rating" from the public.
However, several companies have likewise encountered scrutiny for using AI in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics called "cheap" and "disturbing".
The situation illustrates the continuing debate within the advertising and production industries about the trade-off between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
